Main Street: When a Highway Runs Through It

Contents

Chapter 1: Main Street as Highway .... 1 Sidewalk Area Design ...... 57 Curb Extension ...... 58 At the Heart ...... 2 Driveways ...... 60 Maintenance...... 61 Then and Now ...... 3 Sidewalks ...... 62 Street Furniture ...... 63 Reclaiming Main Street ...... 4 Trees & Landscaping ...... 65 Utilities ...... 67 Chapter 2: Working Together...... 5 Building Area: Design and Land Use ...... 68 Building Setbacks and Orientation ...... 68 Measuring Success ...... 6 Building Façade—Avoiding Blank Walls...... 68 Building Height ...... 69 Process...... 7 Off-Street Parking ...... 69 Right Now ...... 8 Mix of Uses ...... 70 Create a Downtown Vision ...... 8 Public Spaces, Plazas, and Activity Centers ...... 70 Transportation System Plans and Corridor Plans ...... 9 Other Ingredients ...... 72 Special Transportation Areas ...... 9 Codes and Standards ...... 11 Enforcement ...... 72 Participate in the STIP ...... 11 Non-Highway Designs to Support Main Street ...... 72 Follow-Through ...... 12 Chapter 5: Paying for It ...... 73 Chapter 3: Recipe for Success...... 13 Local Revenue Sources ...... 74 The Structure of the Street ...... 14 Property Taxes ...... 74 Human Scale ...... 14 Gas Tax Revenues ...... 74 Street Zones ...... 14 System Development Charges ...... 74 Local Improvement Districts ...... 74 Identify the Real Problem ...... 19 Grants & Loans ...... 76 Safety ...... 20 Security ...... 21 Transportation/Growth Management Program ...... 76 Comfort ...... 22 State Bicycle and Pedestrian Grants ...... 77 Speed ...... 23 Special Transportation Fund ...... 77 Crossing ...... 27 Special Small City Allotment Program ...... 77 Access ...... 29 Immediate Opportunity Grant Program ...... 78 Congestion ...... 31 Oregon Special Public Works Fund ...... 78 Oregon Transportation Infrastructure Bank ...... 78 Chapter 4: Ingredients ...... 33 The Oregon Livability Initiative: The 21st Century Community Fund ...... 79 Street System ...... 34 Urban Forestry Grants ...... 79 Transportation Equity Act for the Local Street Network ...... 35 21st Century (TEA-21) ...... 80 Secondary Route for Through Traffic ...... 36 Couplet (2 one-way streets) ...... 36 Bypass ...... 37 Chapter 6: Examples ...... 81 Roadway Area Design ...... 38 Case Study 1: Heppner, Oregon ...... 82 Bikeways ...... 39 Case Study 2: Newberg, Oregon ...... 84 Channelization ...... 40 Case Study 3: Sisters, Oregon ...... 87 Corner Radius Reduction ...... 41 Crosswalk ...... 42 Scenario 1: Traditional Downtown...... 89 Median ...... 43 Scenario 2: Couplet ...... 91 On-Street Parking ...... 44 Pavement Markings ...... 45 Scenario 3: 5-Lane Highway ...... 93 Refuge Island ...... 46 Signing ...... 47 Chapter 7: Appendix ...... 95 Textured Crosswalk and Pavement ...... 49 Traffic Controls ...... 50 Glossary ...... 95 Transitions ...... 52 Travel Lane Removal ...... 55 Resources...... 100 Travel Lane Width ...... 56 Index ...... 101

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK i Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program, a joint program of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). Additional funds were provided by the ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and by the Oregon Downtown Development Association (ODDA) through a grant from the Oregon Economic and Community Development Dept. TGM Program Staff Pamela Kambur, TGM Outreach Coordinator, DLCD Lainie Smith, Urban Growth Program Coordinator, DLCD Consultant Team Karen Swirsky, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Nils Eddy, David Evans and Associates, Inc. David Olsen, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Brian Rankin, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Dan Burden, Walkable Communities Pat Kliewer, Kliewer and Associates Steering Committee Kent Belleque, Highway Design Manual Manager, ODOT Project Support Vicki Hilliard, Executive Director, ODDA Lynn Peterson, Transportation Advocate,1000 Friend of Oregon Lidwien Rahman, TGM Grant Coordinator, ODOT Region 1 Michael Ronkin, Program Manager, ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Terry Wheeler, Transportation Design Manager, ODOT Technical Services

November 1999

ii MAIN STREET HANDBOOK Chapter 1 Main Street as Highway

Main Street as Highway elcome to the Main Street At the Heart ...... 2 Handbook! This handbook Then and Now ...... 3 W was designed for communi- Reclaiming Main Street ...... 4 ties that are working together to enhance the vitality of their main street… when a highway runs through it. When main street also serves as a state highway, communities are faced with Highways show two faces, much significant challenges. The biggest chal- like Janus, the ancient Roman god lenge is to strike a balance between the of passage and beginnings. One face needs of pedestrians, shoppers, employ- seeks speed and mobility, the other wants comfort, beauty, and commu- ees, business owners, and residents with nity. As guardian of roadways, Ja- the needs of through traffic—both auto nus represented the transition and and freight—to move safely and efficiently balance between countryside and over longer distances. city, between past and future, and between war and peace. Main streets that are also state highways are found throughout Oregon: from small, On our modern roadways, Janus’ bal- rural ranch downtowns to segments of ance sometimes seems absent. The pedestrian often feels in conflict with large cities. Some of these main streets the motorist, although every motor- have kept their historic character, with a ist becomes a pedestrian at some classic, small town, “Mayberry USA” point! Nowhere is this more evident appearance that is typified by a mix of than where highways run through downtowns. When the main street uses and multi-story buildings fronting a is also the highway, the street that wide sidewalk. Other main streets may has been the heart and social center have lost much of their historic appear- of our city for generations must also ance to strip development, parking lots, support the passage of thousands of cars and trucks every day. and expansion of multi-lane highways. Whatever the character of your main As a complement to the Oregon Highway Design Manual, this hand- street, this handbook recognizes that good book seeks to bring peaceful coex- highways and main streets are both istence to the dual personas of critical to the health of the state’s commu- downtown and highway. It proposes nities. It describes the many tools avail- ways to design our main streets that make use of our natural inclination able to identify the problems and figure to drive as quickly or slowly as the out good solutions for main street…when roadway itself suggests. Its goal is a highway runs through it. to make main street a place that is attractive and that works from many points of view: pedestrian safety and activity, smooth traffic flow, economic vigor, and high quality of life.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 1 At the Heart

ain street is more than just the Mbuildings which line it. The street records human endeavors through time: “Main Street is the progression of architectural styles, where you have types of businesses, social changes, and parades.” the evolution of street design. As planner –Focus Group Allan Jacobs notes, streets are made for “symbolic, ceremonial, social and politi- Participant, cal roles, not just those of movement and April 1999 access.” As many people told us during the creation of this handbook, main street is the heart of the community. It has history and character. Main street provides the and large indoor shopping malls), and focus of civic life and is recognized by the sometimes, inappropriate highway modifi- community as the town center. It often has cations—these communities are working historical value as the oldest part of a hard to recapture their sense of place. town and is frequently the central business Many places, seeing what has happened district. It is an interesting and inviting to their neighbors, are working hard to place to walk. It is economically impor- keep downtown vital. Other towns are tant to the area. More and more, the main actively developing new or expanded street is what attracts people and busi- main streets. This handbook provides nesses to a town. communities with guidance on what Main streets are usually several blocks makes a good main street, particularly in length and width, with compact, when it is also a highway. mixed-use development, and buildings spaced close together and close to the street. Main streets have short blocks, are interconnected with local street networks, boast sidewalks wide enough for pedestrians to walk side by side, and usually Main street include on-street parking. Main streets, by caters to tradition and design, are pedestrian friendly. pedestrians. When a community has what is often called a sense of place, that sense of place is found on main street. Many communities are realizing that they have lost their sense of place. Whatever the causes— economic recession, changes in land use patterns (particularly strip development

2 Chapter 1: MAIN STREET AS HIGHWAY Then and Now

accessibility: The he typical main street started out as mobility. This is what highways over the ability to reach Tthe center of town on the most impor- last 40 years or so have stressed. On many goods, activities, and tant—and sometimes only—road. As the state highways, emphasizing mobility destinations. Travel town grew, the street grew with it. The between and through towns over access time and expense de- original main street may now be just within a town has resulted in the decline termine the quality of several blocks among miles of develop- of important main street values. On state access. Accessibility ment. highways that are also main streets, we depends on both in- At first main street provided access now recognize that mobility and access dividual factors through proximity. Everything was where must be balanced. (wealth, physical you needed it: city hall, the post office, Most western main streets started out ability, age) and com- groceries, bank, doctor, shops, tavern, with a 60 to 100 foot wide right-of-way, munity factors (land restaurants, and entertainment. Many the space needed to turn around a horse use patterns, transit people lived downtown. Although the and wagon. The public right-of-way was quality, walking con- original main street may have served a shared by everyone, and wide sidewalks ditions, road capac- large surrounding area of ranches or were constructed, usually of boards, so ity, telecommunica- farms, the emphasis of the street was on people didn’t have to walk in the mud. tions). providing pedestrian and vehicle access to Many of today’s main streets have not services and businesses within the town. just 2 lanes but often 3, 4 and 5 in the mobility: The ability One-stop shopping for daily needs is still same right-of-way. Sometimes there is a to move about, a great advantage of many main streets. pair of one-way streets, called a ”couplet,” which is one way to With changing development patterns to to accommodate higher traffic volumes gain access to a des- accommodate or attract motorists, there than the original streets were intended to tination. Mobility was a shift from providing access to handle. may be accomplished by vehicle (bus, automobile, bicycle) or by walking. Increased mobility does not imply better access because it may result in longer travel time and expense.

Photos used with permission of Oregon Historical Society. Albany Main Street in 1920 and today.

There are 240 incorporated cities in Oregon and 2,600 miles. Today there are 6,800 miles of high- many unincorporated communities… and sev- ways and many more city and county roads. eral hundred main streets. Oregon had 25 miles About 650 miles of highways are in urban areas of paved roads in 1914. By 1930 there were and 60 of those are main streets (Source: ODOT).

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 3 Reclaiming Main Street

he heavy traffic of today’s highways • Improve the aesthetic appearance of T does not mean that main street has to the street. sacrifice the qualities that bring people to • Enhance the street environment, it. Many deplorable conditions—traffic particularly for pedestrians. noise, collisions, poor walking environ- • Minimize conflicts between highway ment, and loss of business—have hap- users: pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, pened in part due to: freight carriers, and motorists. • An emphasis on mobility over acces- • Encourage through traffic to stay on sibility, which can result in higher the highway. speeds than are appropriate to the • Provide other routes for local traffic. main street environment (for ex- • Increase the economic vitality of a ample, streets that appear very wide community. during off-peak hours). Reclaiming main street can improve the • A drifting away from the classic street quality of life in the heart of the commu- design principles such as wide nity—the real purpose of this handbook. x sidewalks and placing buildings correctly in relation to the street. • A lack of knowledge or understand- ing about how to apply certain WHAT’S NEXT techniques that slow traffic, often Chapter 2: Working Together gives the referred to as ”traffic calming,” to background you’ll need to get involved. major streets. t • Changes in zoning and land use have led to commercial development Chapter 3: Recipe for Success explores outside of the city core, typified by typical issues and how to approach them. Don’t know what a strip development and discount “big 3 word means? box” stores that can draw business Chapter 4: Ingredients details the individual Refer to the Glossary away from downtown. measures that, in the proper mix, will get in the Appendix. This handbook provides tools and ideas main street back on its feet. for reclaiming the main street qualities of l the highway by making the street look good and work well. Chapter 5: Paying for It gives you some ideas These tools provide ways to restore for creative financing. highways and connecting streets to their Q intended function, which is to provide Chapter 6: Examples discusses some real and both mobility and accessibility, but in hypothetical main streets. differing combinations. O The techniques included in this handbook can help to: Chapter 7: Appendix includes a Glossary, • Encourage drivers to drive at the Resources, and Index. desired speed.

4 Chapter 1: MAIN STREET AS HIGHWAY Chapter 2 Working Together

Working Together Measuring Success ...... 6 Process ...... 7

“We are confronted by insurmountable opportunities.“ –Pogo

uccessful main street projects need • State Historic Preservation Office. state and local governments and • U.S. Postal Service (if mail delivery is S community stakeholders to work affected). together, collaborate in planning and • Federal Highway Administration (if decision making, and share responsibility Federal funds are used). for construction and maintenance. Critical tools to encourage collaboration There are many different private interests include a community’s downtown plan and government agencies involved in and Transportation System Plan, as well as building and maintaining main street. Any the city codes and ordinances that shape time a change is proposed, everyone development. Strong agency coordination affected needs to be consulted. needs to be balanced with public involve- Possible players include: ment. • The public that uses main street. When it is finally decided to go ahead • Residents in the downtown and along with a project, the implementation be- Scores of policies main street. comes a challenge. Once the project is and guidelines at all • The business and building owners in built, it is important to measure success in levels of government the downtown and along main street. meaningful ways. affect main street • Chamber of Commerce. projects. Key docu- • Downtown Association. ments are described • City (police, fire, ambulance, garbage ACRONYMS in the Glossary. collection, utilities, public works, ACT: Area Commission on Transportation snow plowing, maintenance, parks, ODOT: Oregon Department of Transportation schools, and libraries as appropriate). OTC: Oregon Transportation Commission • County (if unincorporated or if STA: Special Transportation Area County funds or services used). STIP: State Transportation Improvement Program • Oregon Department of Transporta- TSP: Transportation System Plan tion. For definitions of these and other terms, refer to the Glossary in the Appendix.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 5 Measuring Success

he final step in the process of a main Community support for a main street Tstreet project is also the one to start can be exhibited in many ways that are with—how to measure its success. What is difficult to measure, such as a feeling of wanted from a project to improve a pride and enhanced community identity. downtown? The components of what will Other measures of successful planning “Children are like be judged successful should be used as include the amount of participation, a the project goals. willingness to fund elements of the project the canaries in the Traditionally, highway projects have such as landscaping and maintenance, coal mine: an been judged based on several factors: and commitment to associated projects indicator species of • On-time and in-budget. such as parallel city streets and access urban health. • Miles of new pavement. management. Children are small • Level of service for motor vehicles. Over the long-term, main street projects and vulnerable and • Crash reduction. can be considered successful if they result need to be • Minimization of litigation. in: protected. If a city • Special project goals. • More people on the street, especially lacks children... • Satisfaction surveys (businesses, children. such a place pedestrians, motorists). • An increase in walking and bicycling. presents an However, these goals don’t necessarily • Lower crime, particularly vandalism. environment give a good indication of how well a • An increase in private reinvestment. uncomfortable, project supports a town’s main street • Economic vitality, which could be noisy, and which is more concerned with access and measured by a decrease in the dangerous.“ local activities. For main street projects, vacancy rate, a more diverse business some suggested factors that can be mea- mix, extended hours that stores are –Seattle developer sured quickly include: open, and a rise in real estate values. David Sucher • Targeted speeds met. • Smooth traffic flow (fewer delays at intersections). • Improved comfort in crossing the “Drop in on a conversation at a transportation planning meeting-one highway, for both pedestrians and attended mainly by transportation planners and engineers. You’ll motorists (delays and wait time for probably hear plenty about LOS and TIPs, VMT and EIS. But what may pedestrians, turning movements for get lost in all the acronyms and all the details is that planning our motorists, and reduction in crash transportation system is ultimately about trying to improve frequency or severity). our QOL—our quality of life. “While all of these evaluation tools are important, none capture just how transportation is affecting ordinary people in their everyday lives. Some of these impacts can be difficult to measure. But it is important to begin the search for the quality-of-life equivalents of the engineers’ level-of-service, so that everyone can join in the discussion about our transportation future.“ –Barbara McCann, Surface Transportation Policy Project

6 Chapter 2: WORKING TOGETHER Process

hen main streets are also high dynamic and very public vision of what W ways, they are managed by the community wants the main street to ODOT, and any proposed changes to the be—and committing to that vision. It also street must be reviewed and accepted by means continuously promoting the vision ODOT before they're implemented. Long to decision-makers at all levels. Keep your head up, before a highway project comes to a main Establish and maintain close contact your eyes and ears street, the government agencies and the with local ODOT representatives so that open, and talk to community must sit down to communica- any projects that might affect the down- everyone! te and plan. If enough coordination town are known and discussed well ahead doesn’t happen, the result can be discon- of formal scoping (where project compo- tent from all concerned. nents and costs are identified). Make sure The discontent is avoidable. While everyone understands your city’s willing- ODOT has relatively formal procedures ness to work as a team member from the for planning, funding, scoping, designing, earliest planning stages. and building highway projects, the key to Get the top management on-board and See also: making sure local main street interests are in basic agreement to the project goals considered is simple: Keep your head up, and design. The most important ODOT Agency contacts your eyes and ears open, and talk to people to keep in touch with are the are listed in the everyone! region and area managers, federal aid Appendix under However, there is more to successful specialist, planners, and project managers. Resources. main streets than just paying attention. The There are several planning steps that communities that are best positioned to every community can take to make sure take advantage of funding and other that this vision is created and expressed in opportunities are those that have done a way that is accessible to citizens and their homework. This means creating a agencies alike.

RIGHT NOW ➜ Get main street into current projects and planning.

VISION ➜ Create written & visual plan with projects.

TRANSPORTATION PLAN ➜ Include main street vision in formal plan.

CODES & STANDARDS ➜ Adopt supporting development codes & standards.

CONTACTS ➜ Maintain agency communications.

STIP ➜ Get projects included in State Transportation Improvement Program

MEASURE SUCCESS ➜ Compare results to goals.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 7 Right Now Creating a vision for main street.

Make sure that on-going projects and planning include the community’s main street values. When public projects get scoped, including ODOT or local road improvements, make sure they address main street needs. “Right now” actions to keep in mind include: • Form a downtown association. • Have a community forum to discuss downtown issues. • Include the Chamber of Commerce in discussions about the downtown’s future. • Quantify the needs, if possible. • Make main street a Council or Plan- • Clearly define the downtown area ning Commission priority in its and scope. annual goal setting. • Evaluate alternatives (see Chapter 4). • Invite speakers from organizations • Gain support for the best alternative. such as the Oregon Downtown • Identify short and long-term strategies. Development Association to talk If the vision is well-established in the about downtowns future. community, it will remain alive as staff • Look at public street and building and elected officials change over time. projects scheduled for the next 5 There will be room for the vision to years and see if they help main street. change and evolve, but the downtown • Canvas local businesses and residents vision should be clear and unshakable. about needs and quick fixes such as Creating a vision for downtown and in- striping crosswalks or parking spaces. corporating it into the community culture • Review any ODOT projects in the is not easy or simple. It takes many hours State Transportation Improvement of discussion, meetings, public forums, Program (STIP) that would affect design workshops, and decision-making. downtown. Visions created in as public and inclu- sive a manner as possible have the best Create a Downtown chance of success. Often, professional Vision help is needed. This can include expert advice on economic development, down- The vision expresses the real meaning of town revitalization, design, engineering, the downtown to the community’s culture, public involvement, and other topics. history, and self-image. It includes specific The vision is expressed in a concrete designs and projects to help the city take form, such as a Downtown Enhancement advantage of funding or other opportuni- or Design Plan (for example, the Down- ties (such as ODOT highway projects). town Design Plan created for the City of Although every community’s vision will La Grande in 1999). The Plan should be be unique, the successful ones: formally adopted by the city in their • Identify the real problems (see Chap- comprehensive plan and tied to its Trans- ter 3). portation System Plan.

8 Chapter 2: WORKING TOGETHER Transportation System It allows ODOT to use highway designs and mobility standards that are different Plans and Corridor Plans from other highway designations. The city or county’s Transportation System The STA designation is appropriate in Plan (TSP) describes future needs and areas that already have a distinct main usually lists projects, assigns priorities, street character—where there is compact, and generally identifies funding options. urban development with buildings spaced Make sure that the TSP includes clearly close together and oriented to the street, stated policies and goals for the down- and a mix of land uses. The STA designation town and main street. If the downtown requires development of a management includes a state highway that the commu- plan, which is adopted jointly by Oregon nity wishes to manage as a main street, it Transportation Commission (OTC) and by may be appropriate to work with ODOT the community as part of the local TSP. to designate the street as a Special Trans- In the past, many of the design treat- portation Area, as discussed below. ments described in this handbook have Also, many state highways have corridor been applied to state highways without plans that include highway segments in STA designation. Adoption of the Oregon cities. The TSP and the corridor plan are Highway Plan and subsequent develop- the primary documents in which main ment of guidelines have clarified the street projects should be addressed. benefits of this option. Without an STA designation, decisions on the appropriate- Special Transportation ness of each design treatment must be Areas made on a case-by-case basis—often requiring a design exception process. A Special Transportation Area (STA) is a Designation of an STA is the best way to highway segment designation outlined in reach agreement with ODOT that a the Oregon Highway Plan. The STA certain stretch of highway should be designation is ODOT’s way of formally treated as a main street. recognizing certain segments of state An STA designation is required if a highways as main streets where through community wants to change the highway traffic movement will be balanced with mobility or access management standards the needs for local access and circulation. described in the Oregon Highway Plan. An STA designation may be needed to implement other measures that could Potential STAs have a distinct conflict with accommodating through main street character. traffic, such as reducing speeds or providing on-street parking. The management plan that implements the STA will typically be prepared as either part of or as an amendment to a community’s TSP. An STA management plan typically includes the following elements: • Goals and objectives reflecting the community’s vision for its main street.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 9 • Clearly defined boundaries for the Benefits of the STA Designation STA. The STA designation is a way for communi- • Design standards, including mobility ties to get clear agreement from ODOT to standards, signal locations, and street manage the state highway as a main street. treatment. These features can include wider sidewalks, • Strategies for addressing freight and adding or retaining on street parking, adding curb extensions, adding street trees, and other through traffic. measures. • Parking strategies addressing on- and There are several reasons for pursuing an STA off-street and shared parking. designation: • Planning provisions that result in • It gets ODOT approval about how the compact, pedestrian-friendly devel- highway should be managed up front. With- out a plan, approval of main street elements opment. will require case-by-case review and ap- • Provisions for a network of local proval. The STA designation sends the mes- streets that provides pedestrian, sage to everyone involved that “the primary bicycle, transit, and motor vehicle objective of managing highway facilities in the STA is to provide access to community routes. activities, businesses, and residences, and to • Access management standards for the accommodate pedestrian movement along STA itself and areas immediately and across the highway.” (1999 Oregon High- contiguous to the STA. way Plan) • Identification of maintenance and • It prescribes greater flexibility for state highway standards. operational strategies. • It changes ODOT mobility and access Some communities may have plan and management standards applied to that seg- ordinance provisions already in place that ment of the state highway. accomplish most or all of what is required • It may help a community’s main street in an STA management plan. Where this is projects qualify for funding, like Immediate Opportunity Funds, Local Street Funding, the case, little additional work may be Oregon Community Development funding, See Chapter 5 for needed to designate an STA. Contact your and Federal Transportation Enhancement funding options. city or county planning staff and the Funding. State funding programs are empha- ODOT regional manager in your area for sizing downtown redevelopment. • It provides certainty for property owners more information. and local officials about how the highway will be managed. It allows businesses and local governments to make planning and investment decisions along main street, know- ing that any future highway improvements will support, not detract from main street development.

Designating an STA can help to preserve downtown qualities, manage the highway, and support funding requests.

10 Chapter 2: WORKING TOGETHER Codes and Standards Once a transportation need has been identified, in a TSP or corridor plan or by Local codes and standards can encourage ODOT, the first step towards getting the good main street design (e.g.., how build- project implemented is to determine its ings are oriented to the street, where the relative priority among all the other identi- off-street parking is located, access and fied needs. As may be expected, identified parking management, wide sidewalks, projects far outweigh available funds. The etc.). Ideas for good downtown develop- process of assigning priorities is most suc- ment will fail if they are not allowed be- cessful when started at the local govern- cause of outdated, inappropriate, or in- ment or ACT level and advanced upwards complete ordinances. Even worse is the through ODOT to the Oregon Transporta- slow degradation of downtown from tion Commission. counterproductive parking requirements, Projects are entered into the draft State setbacks, sign standards, etc. Transportation Improvement Program Building codes require certain items, (STIP) as priority and revenues allow. Dur- such as modern plumbing and roofs that ing the open public input period between don’t leak. But it is possible to have a new the draft STIP and the final approved STIP, or remodeled building meet these de- projects identified in the draft may be mands and still fit in with the scale and See Building Area: changed due to public input or issues de- texture of downtown. Design guidelines Design and Land termined during project scoping. for setbacks, roof lines, proportion of win- Use in Chapter 4 for The project scope is documented in a dows to walls, building materials, signs, for more develop- prospectus, which: and other basics can make sure that a new ment code issues. • describes the project’s nature and building adds to downtown. limits, Examples of good development codes for • estimates the costs of construction downtown are available in the Smart De- and right-of-way purchase, velopment Code Handbook (1997) pub- • identifies environmental, land use, lished by the Transportation and Growth and funding issues, and Management (TGM) Program. The hand- • is used to obtain the necessary ap- book describes common obstacles to good provals to begin work. development and provides guidance in de- It is very important that the prospectus termining whether local codes and stan- clearly communicates the specific goals dards encourage or impede smart develop- and objectives of the project. The prospec- ment. The TGM Model Development Code tus for any project being developed for the and User’s Guide for Small Cities (1999) STIP is available from ODOT for review provides examples of specific code lan- by local agencies and the public. guage. The key to success is to start off with a Participate in the STIP project that is scoped properly and then detailed properly in the prospectus. Note Projects usually originate from ODOT’s that there are portions of a project, such as transportation management systems, trans- some street furniture, that may not be portation system plans, or corridor plans funded by ODOT; other sources of fund- through cities, counties, Area Commis- ing must be identified in the early stages sions on Transportation (ACTs), or local of planning. groups (such as downtown associations).

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 11 There are two major project types in the put, it is critical for cities to maintain con- STIP: modernization and preservation. tact with local ODOT representatives, par- Modernization projects are roadway ticularly the region and area managers. changes built to accommodate existing State policy encourages citizens, busi- traffic and projected traffic growth. Typical nesses and groups to have input into deci- modernization projects include: sions that affect state highways (per Policy • Addition of lanes. 2D in the Oregon Highway Plan). • New alignments. STIP projects are usually years in the • Grade separations (over- and under- making, so cities and individuals need to passes). make the effort to keep locally important • Intersection changes. projects alive. In times of funding short- Preservation projects are meant to add falls, the projects that have long-term useful life to the road without increasing champions are the ones that get funded. capacity. Typical preservation projects include paving with only minor safety im- Follow-Through provements. Do not relax after a project is added to the Over the last several years, the funding in STIP. Keep in touch with the project man- the STIP has reflected ODOT’s focus on pre- ager during the design phases to learn serving existing roads and improving safety how the main street objectives are being before adding new facilities. Fortunately for addressed. If ODOT highway design ex- cities interested in improving their down- ceptions are needed because of nonstand- towns, preservation and safety are both is- ard elements (such as on-street parking sues that have a direct effect on main street. less than 8 ft wide), make sure that these The Oregon Transportation Commission have approval. Sometimes a project may adopted a major improvements policy in be assigned a new manager, in which case the Oregon Highway Plan to maintain it is wise to go through the history of the highway performance and improve safety project with them because they may not by improving system efficiency and man- be aware of the original discussions and agement before adding capacity. The pri- community objectives. During project orities are to: construction, check with the project man- 1. Protect the existing system. ager on progress and any issues that may 2. Improve efficiency and capacity of come up—some design decisions are nec- existing highway facilities. essarily made in the field and you want to See Chapter 6 for 3. Add capacity to the existing system. make sure they are consistent with the other examples. 4. Add new facilities to the system. project’s objectives. The STIP is for a 4-year period, with a 2- Finally, do a walk- year overlap (for example, 2002-2005). through of the com- EXAMPLE Public hearings on the proposed STIP con- pleted project and Many downtown projects, such as Heppner tent are held during the spring before the congratulate the (described in the case studies in Chapter 6), actual funding year, and are adopted by have been initiated by ODOT preservation manager and team overlay projects, which are listed in the STIP. the Oregon Transportation Commission in on a job well Because Heppner had an existing plan for the fall of the same year. Revenue fore- done! x its downtown, the city was able to work with casts for the STIP are initiated about 2 ODOT to expand the project scope beyond years before the actual project period. a simple pavement overlay, and was able to leverage additional funds for other downtown Since the content of the STIP is influ- improvements. enced by public and local government in-

12 Chapter 2: WORKING TOGETHER Chapter 3 Recipe for Success

reat chefs understand that there This chapter will give you the framework are many ways to make spa- to start envisioning what you want to ac- G ghetti, and dozens of ingredients complish. This is done in two parts. First, from which to choose. However, as much we discuss the basic elements that make up as you might like garlic, it will not be a street. Next, the typical problems that can outstanding spaghetti if the chef only uses afflict a main street are outlined along with one ingredient—a balanced mix of quality possible solutions—what mix of ingredi- components works best. The important ents might be used. Chapter 4 describes thing is to start with a clear idea of how each ingredient in detail. you want the dish to taste, and which Note: You may notice some repetition in ingredients will get you there. this and other sections of the handbook. In the same way, every main street is Similar to a good recipe, these bits of unique. There is no single best design, but information lean on each other, and many successful projects usually: ideas, goals, and ingredients work better • Start with a clear vision of what is to together than alone. be accomplished. • Balance the travel modes. Recipe for Success • Make the best of what there is to The Structure of the Street ... 14 work with. Human Scale ...... 14 • Reflect local history. Street Zones ...... 14 When you get right down to it, the Identify the Real Problem ..... 19 vision is the hardest part, especially when Safety ...... 20 Security...... 21 it may be something different from what Comfort ...... 22 we‘ve become accustomed to. It is human Speed ...... 23 nature to stick with the familiar. However, Crossing ...... 27 this can lead to both boring dinners and Access ...... 29 Congestion ...... 31 bad main streets.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 13 The Structure of the Street

Human-scale signs are o make the right decisions for main generally shorter on Tstreet, it helps to have an overall un- main street. derstanding of how a street works. We can start by looking at the street from three angles: length, width, and height. On a successful main street, all of these dimensions need to be considered at a human scale. After we understand how the main street is supposed to work, we will look at each of the primary traffic issues: safety, security, comfort, speed, crossing, access, and congestion. Human Scale Although the world is large, we perceive it Street Zones piece by piece. In street design, details count. Things look different close up walk- A main street can be considered from 3 ing at 2 mph than they do from behind a perspectives: length, width, and height. windshield at 30 mph. Everything seen Length and experienced from the sidewalk— A length of highway has differ- building fronts, signs, lighting, open ent purposes depending on the space—should be designed for human in- area of the state and the adja- teraction at a pedestrian’s perspective. cent land uses. A given highway

Likewise, the view of main street from the HEIGHT may change function as it windshield should be designed for 20 mph traverses urban, suburban, and or less. Features typically found on higher WIDTH speed highways—buildings and trees set rural areas. Oregon has many LENGTH back from the road, tall signs to attract mo- highway classifications (refer to torists, generic surroundings stripped of de- the Glossary in the Appendix). tail—aren’t compatible with main street. The most important length Parking lots surrounding buildings and characteristic of a main street is highly car-oriented uses like gas stations that it is relatively short com- or drive-ins distort the human scale of the pared to the overall highway street by making things too far apart. The length. A main street is typically the down- Street zones pedestrian wants interesting things to look town, central business district or community at close at hand, such as windows, dis- center, and might be only 4–8 blocks long. play cases, sidewalk cafes, and most of Main streets are usually located on an urban all, other people. Without human scale, arterial with a posted travel speed of 25 mph, the pedestrian will feel unwelcome and frequent street connections, and on-street go elsewhere. Parking lots also create parking. For good main street planning, local conflict points at their entrances and exits access and pedestrian travel needs to be (see Driveways in Chapter 4). given preference over through travel.

14 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Speed zones RURAL Rural Highway SEGMENT 55 mph

SUBURBAN SEGMENT ~40 mph TRANSITION Suburban Highway AREA

GATEWAY

MAIN STREET 25 mph

Downtown Highway

Because main street is short, the highway leading into main street is very important. Drivers who have been traveling on a rela- See also: tively high-speed section of Building Area and highway need a transition area in which to slow to Transitions main street speed. Some of Transition Area in Chapter 4 the designs that work on main street can also be used in the transition area to prepare drivers for what lies ahead. Sometimes, an obvious ”gateway” into downtown—perhaps a park or roundabout—can reinforce the transition.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 15 Width The width or “cross-section” of a street includes not only the public space where the pavement and sidewalks are located, but also the front of the buildings on private property. The cross-section varies tremendously from place to place and has a lot to do with how the street looks and works. The cross-section of main street can be thought of as having 3 zones: the roadway, sidewalk area, and building area. The roadway, along with the sidewalk area, are within the public right-of-way. Build- ing areas are typically the interface between public and private property, except awnings, and lighting. Poles, signing, and where the building or adjacent property is driveways also take up some of the space. publicly owned. The width of right-of-way devoted to the The roadway is the paved portion of the sidewalk area is one indication of how right-of-way primarily used by cars and bi- much priority is given to pedestrians and cycles. It consists of travel lanes and often transit. Main streets will have many more parking lanes, medians, and bike lanes. pedestrians than other highways. Transit Crosswalks for pedestrians are also part of use is also a consideration in many com- the roadway. When there are many trucks, munities. Urban designers have found that the roadway generally needs to have wider main streets work best when the sidewalk lanes, wider turns, and better pavement. area including landscaping is at least 12 ft Bicyclists travel along the pavement edges wide. At least 6 ft of the sidewalk area in either a lane shared with motorists, on a needs to be clear of obstructions (see shoulder, or in a designated bike lane. Sidewalks in Chapter 4). There may be car parking between where The building area is where the public bicyclists travel and the sidewalk area. right-of-way and property (private or There may not be enough roadway public) meet. It includes building fronts width for all the desired uses and some (see figure above) with their walls, doors, tough decisions will need to be made. foyers, windows, and signs. Outdoor ODOT‘s design exception process is used eating areas, courtyards, arcades and Design Exception by the Roadway Manager to help sort out parking lots may extend this public area See Terms on the priorities. In many rural cities, there is into the private property. Although it lies page 19 ample width, which may actually be part outside the right-of-way, the building area of the problem because it allows the is critical to how the street works, espe- roadway to be wider than needed for the cially the height and the sidewalk access. desired speed. The appearance and function of the area is The sidewalk area is the portion of the determined by the building design and right-of-way primarily devoted to pedestri- land use. For example, local codes may ans. Besides being a place to walk, the require buildings to face the sidewalk with sidewalk area also includes planter strips, plenty of windows and displays, and off- trees, benches, cafe tables, transit shelters, street parking, if any, to be behind or to the side of the building.

16 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Height Open spaces, such as parking lots in front of buildings, vacant lots, and So far, we have discussed horizontal infra- unlandscaped parks interrupt the vertical structure: the roadway, sidewalk area, and See also: plane. This can be intentional when there building area. Vertical infrastructure con- is a landmark in the background that Roadway Area sists of public buildings, open spaces, should be visible, such as a civic building. trees, and utilities. Sidewalk Area Architects refer to the height-to-width Buildings and trees bring a feeling of en- ratio of the street. The width is measured and closure to the highway, which contributes horizontally between opposing building to the main street’s sense of place. Archi- Building Area fronts (or trees), and the height is mea- tects see a street as public space defined sured from the sidewalk to the building ingredients by vertical surfaces, much as a room is de- eaves (or tree tops). Architects have found fined by its walls. High quality vertical in Chapter 4 that the most human scale is achieved features are extremely important to the pe- when the ratio is between 1:2 and 1:3. destrian environment because they are the For example, a successful main street 80 focus of human perception. Vertical sur- ft wide would have buildings about 35 ft faces such as building fronts and trees tall (2 to 3 stories) which are next to the close to the street encourage drivers to sidewalks. It is no coincidence that the slow down.

1:2 ratio

Human scale height- Street areas to-width ratios fall between 1:3 and 1:2 1:3 ratio as measured from the building fronts or large trees if present.

1:3 height-to-width ratio creates a human scale Main Street

1:7 height-to-width ratio creates a scale uncomfortable for pedestrians

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 17 width-to-height ratio of the space inside many malls has the same proportions: the Buildings pedestrian streets are about 35 ft wide and the shop fronts (floor to ceiling) are about 15 ft high. Above and below the street level are utilities of many kinds. Street designers need to make sure the utilities can do their job and are accessible for maintenance, and yet are unobtrusive and do not pose a danger to travelers. In addition, lighting and signing needs to be human scale and not intrude on the travel paths of either vehicles or pedestrians. Trees Street trees are an important vertical component of a main street. Street trees in a downtown area offer an ideal transition between building architecture and the roadway. When mature, street trees can create a canopy over the sidewalk and adjacent parking area. Trees provide summer shade, seasonal interest, protection from winter winds, and can be draped with a screen of night lights. A large canopy en- closes and softens the street, which en- Utilities courages lower speeds. Street trees need to be tall enough to provide shade without substantially blocking storefront signs.

Refer to the TGM Model The 3 photos above illustrate how buildings, Smart Development Code trees, and utilities can contribute or detract for Small Cities for recom- from the vertical streetscape. mended main street development codes.

18 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Identify the Real Problem

t feels like there’s something wrong with Imain street. But what is the problem? TYPICAL MAIN STREET CONCERNS Maybe there are only a few pedestrians, Safety and you believe that this situation would • Can’t walk to stores. be improved by installing a traffic signal to • Can’t turn left safely. make it easier to cross the street. How- • Bikes use the sidewalks. Security ever, a traffic signal may cause other • Downtown doesn’t feel safe. Although this Hand- problems. Sometimes a community will • There is too much graffiti. book focuses on the seize upon a specific solution, when Comfort physical problems of perhaps the best thing to do is take a step • Noisy. • Unsightly. main street, other back and get a better underst anding of the • Nowhere for kids or the elderly. factors such as socio- real problem. Speed economic policies What is at the heart of the problem? Is • Traffic exceeds posted speed. and land use plan- main street unsafe? How is it unsafe? Are • Drivers don’t slow down. Crossing ning also contribute there too many cars, or is the problem • Stop sign or signal wanted. to the success of a really that they are going too fast? Are • Crosswalks aren’t marked. main street. there too many driveway cuts? Are there • Kids can’t cross safely. missing sidewalks? Access Land use is discussed • Not enough parking. This section of the handbook describes • Delivery trucks block street. under Building Area the issues most often raised about main • Median not acceptable to businesses. in Chapter 4. streets. It discusses the importance of • Downtown not accessible to the dis- identifying the real problems so that abled. Congestion effective fixes can be found. • Too much traffic and delay. Once the problems are well defined, • Highway doesn’t meet performance move on to Chapter 4, which describes standards. solutions (or ”ingredients”) in detail. • Too many trucks. • Cut-through traffic in neighborhoods.

TERMS ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act Design Exception: An ODOT procedure for using Arterial: A road normally designated to carry traffic highway designs that deviate from the adopted through an area rather than to local destinations. standard in the Highway Design Manual. Basic rule: A state law requiring vehicles to be Gateway: Something that marks the entrance to driven at a speed appropriate for the conditions. downtown. Bikeway: Any of various facilities for bicycle travel Planter strip: A strip of right-of-way for trees and (shared roadway, bike lane, etc.). scrubs, usually between the sidewalk and roadway. Canopy: The cover created by the upper branches Right-of-way (ROW): A strip of public land of trees. between private properties that typically includes the roadway and sidewalks. Conflict: A collision or near collision which requires evasive action, generally between a Roadway: The paved portion of the highway, not vehicle and another vehicle or pedestrian. including the sidewalk. Also refer to the Glossary in the Appendix.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 19 Safety When someone says “the street isn’t safe,” what do they really mean? Are there too many crashes? Are people driving too fast? Are intersections threatening? Safety—both real and perceived—is one of the most im- Typical statement: “My grandmother can’t portant aspects of the highway. Designing walk to the store.“ a safe main street means recognizing the Possible problems: Sidewalks absent, poorly limitations and expectations of all its users. maintained, or do not meet needs of the eld- A starting point is to provide the basic erly (uneven surface, no ramps, etc.). facilities for each user: wide sidewalks Potential ingredients: Basic sidewalk and frequent crossings for pedestrians; on- See also these improvements and maintenance. street bikeways and frequent racks for bi- related problems: cyclists; and a clear, direct travelway with S Crossing convenient parking for motorists. Typical statement: “It’s scary to turn left on Good design improves safety through: the highway.“ Access • Increased awareness of other street us- Speed ers—such as high visibility crosswalks, Possible problems: Misuse of continuous cen- curb extensions, and refuge islands. ter turn lane, too many driveways, multiple • Reduced conflicts—such as bike- lanes to cross, and high speeds. ways, channelization, medians, and Potential ingredients: Raised median, chan- driveway restrictions. nelization, driveway management, traffic con- • Lower speed—traffic calming such as trols, and fewer travel lanes. narrower lanes, trees, and tight corners. o There are many design factors that influence safety, and the judgement of a trans- Typical statement: “How can we get the bikes portation professional is usually needed to off of the sidewalks?“ select and design appropriate facilities. Possible problems: Riders on sidewalk be- However, the transportation professional cause of poor street facilities or because they needs to recognize that the perception of want to go in the opposite direction and can’t safety can be as important as actual data. cross the street easily. For example, a road with no history of vehicle-pedestrian collisions does not neces- Potential ingredients: Bikeways and frequent, sarily mean that it’s a safe roadway for short crossings. people to walk along—it may mean that there are no sidewalks and that’s why in constrained rights-of-way it may be neces- there are very few pedestrians! sary to balance increased motor vehicle con- If a design improves the quality of life gestion with the need for wide sidewalks. along the highway without creating a haz- The measures described in Chapter 4 ardous situation for any user, then it is have proven their value through experi- worth considering, with or without speed ence. Where studies are known, they are and collision data. mentioned. Mostly, this handbook points Urban streets need to serve all users as out how particular ingredients are known well as possible, but pedestrians are the pri- to improve a street’s quality and safety by ority when safety and space allocation must increasing awareness, reducing conflicts, be balanced between modes. For example, and lowering speed.

20 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Security

People must feel secure and unthreatened for main street to be successful. People will stay away from a street that feels scary. Part of a feeling of security is the safety of Typical problem: “The downtown isn’t safe the street, discussed above. Another impor- after dark.“ “Do not protect tant part of security is the perception that Possible issues: Lack of good public spaces, yourself by a fence, you are not isolated on the street. too few people, poor lighting, and poor main- but rather by your tenance. friends.” Potential ingredients: Maintenance, street fur- –Czeck proverb niture (lighting, etc.), and evening activities.

ism) and increase perceived safety. Physically, a sense of security is created through adequate lighting, removal of overgrown vegetation and other “hiding places,” readily available telephones, buildings set close to the sidewalk, and frequent shops and windows. It doesn’t hurt to have the police department located downtown, either! This feeling of security is cre- Ownership is a related principle. When ated through surveillance and the community is proud of its downtown, ownership. Surveillance doesn’t everyone who owns a business or works mean hanging a security camera on every and shops on main street feels ownership. corner—although some cities have done When the sense of ownership is strong, that—it means that the street is well-maintained, and bad be- EXAMPLES there are enough havior is not tolerated. people on the street The ownership principle can be used to In Bend, Oregon, the downtown association during most hours decrease vandalism. What this means in worked with young people to build, install, to make you feel street design is the creation of spaces landscape, and maintain large concrete that someone will where people are present and can observe planters. As a result of this new sense of own- see you if something each other, and where they have enough ership by young people who had not previ- bad happens (or if sense of ownership of the street that they ously felt welcome in downtown, vandalism you do something will take some action when trouble (particularly graffiti) has decreased markedly. bad!). A lively main happens. street with a diver- To be sure, creating a feeling of security In some cities, downtown merchants agree sity of people walk- demands a great deal of energy and to leave shop lights on until a set hour. Com- ing, working, shop- resources. Urban safety issues are combined with street and pedestrian lighting, this ping, and living plex and go far beyond the physical— practice adds an extra element of security to downtown may re- however, good design can greatly de- main street. An added benefit is that people duce actual crime crease the impacts of these problems on can window shop after closing time. (especially vandal- main street.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 21 Comfort Typical statement: “It’s so noisy on main Comfort is related to security, but goes a street that you can’t hold a conversation.“ step further. Many factors contribute to a Possible problems: High speeds, too much sense of comfort on main street: traffic, and no sidewalk buffer. • Is downtown attractive and interesting? Potential ingredients: Curb extensions, plant- • Is it lively but not too noisy? ing strip and trees, on-street parking, and an • If I get tired, will there be someplace alternate route for through traffic. to sit? g • Is there a restroom that I can find and safely use? Typical statement: “We want our town to look nicer.“ • Can I find a parking space within walking distance of my destination? Possible problems: Too much asphalt, too • Is there shade? few trees, deteriorating surfaces, empty • Are the sidewalks clear of snow, ice, spaces, and unattractive buildings. and puddles? Potential ingredients: Maintenance, historic • Are there places to get something to preservation, wide sidewalks, vacant lot re- eat and watch the crowds? development, and landscaping. • If I see someone I know, can I stand 2 and chat without blocking the sidewalk? Typical statement: “There’s nowhere for my • Can I bring my dog? grandfather to sit.“ • Will my wheelchair roll easily on the Possible problems: No benches or other sidewalk surface? street furniture. All of these questions relate to good main street design. The truly important Potential ingredients: Wide sidewalks, street furniture, and pocket parks. design factors in a successful main street are a strong identity, interesting things to look at, quality materials, and comfortable surroundings. NOISE Traffic noise is a major irritation near highways. Overall noise on the sidewalk increases with traffic speed, volume, stops, the portion of large vehicles, proximity, and reflecting surfaces. At low speeds most noise comes from The main task engines, drivetrains, and brakes; as speed in- is making people comfortable, creases, wind, tire, and road noise contribute. the same task faced by the host at a Large trees can help dampen sound. party. In fact, think of the main job for the City Planner as being the Amy Many studies conclude that noise and accom- Vanderbilt of the city. panying vibration are a significant highway –Seattle developer cost. Dropping speeds from 35 mph to 25 David Sucher mph could cut these impacts by over half in a downtown. (Source: Transportation Re- search Record 1559, 1997.)

22 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Speed Speed is one of the most talked about highway issues and most highway design is closely related to it, but it is surprisingly Typical statement: “Traffic goes too fast difficult to understand. The differences be- through our downtown. How can we slow tween posted speed, design speed, and it down?“ running speed are hard to grasp, especially as they relate to low-speed pedes- Possible problems: Main street looks like a trian areas. The Basic Rule also compli- highway and offers little reason to slow down; design speed too high. cates the issue. In a nutshell, the speed of a street seg- Potential ingredients: Various measures to ment can be defined as follows: calm traffic and improve appearance of Posted speed — The maximum speed streetscape. considered prudent to drive consider- D ing land use and other factors. Some posted speeds are set by statute and Typical statement: “Motorists drive into town like they‘re still on the open highway.“ others are set by the State Speed Board. Possible problems: Abrupt change of speed Design speed — The maximum safe zones with inadequate transition area. speed that can be driven in free-flowing Potential ingredients: Extend traffic calm- traffic and good weather. The design ing to transition area and create a gateway. speed has a direct effect on the cost, safety, and capacity of the roadway. Running speed — The average speed at which most vehicles travel in a given section of highway. Basic Rule — The appropriate speed for the conditions.

When speeds on a highway through town are higher than posted, one reason may be that the street gives few visual clues that drivers should slow down. The design of a highway that is a main street needs to reflect the change in land use, pedestrian activity, and expected motorist behavior. The scene at Design speed should consider left is in a downtown how easily and safely the on a state highway, al- pedestrian can cross. though the design looks otherwise.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 23 There are several approaches to resolv- SPEED ZONES ing the speed issue: slow the traffic State statutes specify the following designated through physical and psychological speeds (1997 ORS 811.105): means, smooth out the traffic flow, and • alleys ...... 15 mph create transition zones in the streetscape. • business districts, school zones when Slow down children are present...... 20 mph Motorists typically drive at a speed they • residential districts, public parks, perceive as safe. This is partially related to ocean shores ...... 25 mph the road design, especially available or • rural highways, urban interstate perceived lane width, curves in the road, highways, trucks on rural corner radii, and stopping sight distance. interstate highways ...... 55 mph Reducing traffic speeds can also be aided • autos on rural interstates ...... 65 mph by physical constraints on the roadway A business district is a ”territory contiguous such as curb extensions and medians that to a highway when 50 percent or more of make the road look narrower. On-street the frontage thereon for a distance of 600 ft parking and short blocks also help hold See also: or more on one side, or 300 ft or more on down speed by creating “friction.” Pavement Markings both sides, is occupied by buildings used for When it is not appropriate to reduce business.” (1997 ORS 801.170) actual lane or roadway width, on freight Transitions routes for instance, a calming effect can Posted speeds override these standards, and Street Furniture the Basic Rule overrides posted speeds. The be accomplished by creating an illusion of Basic Rule means that you must drive the less space through paint on the pavement, in Chapter 4 appropriate speed for the conditions. For or by adding tall trees and street furniture. example, ice or snow might reduce the speed to below the posted limit.

The Oregon Department of Transportation is responsible for establishing speed zones on If the street is attractive, drivers have a all public roads. Cities and counties may reason to slow down. appeal speed zoning recommendations to the Speed Zone Review Panel.

Posted speeds different from the statutes are usually determined by an engineering inves- tigation which includes many factors. The 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at or below which 85 percent of the vehicles are traveling, may be used as a benchmark but with allowances for different cultural, physical and functional factors, including the needs of pedestrians and residents.

There is more to life than increasing its speed. –Mahatma Gandhi

24 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS The driver’s focus at different speeds.

A low speed allows drivers to be more aware of their surroundings and to have time to react to other highway users. At 40 mph the driver’s focus is The photos show how a driver’s focus on the roadway changes as their speed increases. The set- in the distance. ting is a typical downtown in a small Or- egon city. Shops and on-street parking line both sides of this 2-lane couplet. The highway is built to “full standard” because of the ample right-of-way.

At the posted speed of 30 mph, many drivers have a difficult time seeing bicyclists and pedestrians, and stopping distance is nearly twice that of 20 mph. At 30 mph the driver begins to To safely accommodate all users, this highway needs substantial design changes see things at the that tell the driver that this is not the open road edges in highway it was a few blocks before. the background.

A good start would be wide planting strips with trees to narrow the roadway. A bike lane could be striped. Intersections could be narrowed even further with curb extensions.

At 20 mph the foreground When a person is struck by a motor vehicle, comes into they have the following chances of death focus. according to Killing Speed and Saving Lives, UK Department of Transportation:

40 mph 85% At 15 mph the driver easily sees 30 mph that this is a 45% place where 20 mph pedestrians and bicyclists are 15% present.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 25 Good design also includes an attractive • Add other visual cues that make the streetscape that makes drivers want to driver aware that they are entering an slow down. In particular, visible outdoor area of intense human activity such as cafés and other sidewalk activities beckon planters, landscaping, ornamental light- the motorist to enjoy the surroundings. ing, flags, benches, and other street fur- “Be not afraid of Smooth out niture. These send a clear message that people are present. Strong vertical ele- going slowly, be Speeding and general traffic operation can ments near the curb line such as trees afraid only of often be addressed by smoothing out the also visually narrow the street. standing still.” traffic flow. Slow, steady traffic conditions • Widen the sidewalks and make the –Chinese proverb are safer and can handle more cars than highway look narrower. In smaller erratic, stop-and-go conditions. There are communities, moving from a rural several proven ways to smooth out traffic: highway section with shoulders and • Synchronize a series of signals at a low driveways to an urban section with speed with short, fixed-length cycles. curbs, sidewalks, and on-street parking • Shift driveway accesses so that there is a strong visual cue. are fewer than one or two driveways • Construct a modern roundabout with per block; combine driveways or shift an attractive center island. them to side streets. • Long-term, encourage redevelopment • Convert 4-lane streets to 3 lanes (2 of off-street parking to bring buildings See also: travel lanes with a center turn lane) closer to the street. Transitions where there are large numbers of left • Emphasize access management at the in Chapter 4 turns; 3 lanes can work better than 4 entrances to downtown by adding me- because turning cars can wait with- dians and combining driveways. out blocking a through lane. These features are not necessarily expen- • At an intersection close to the begin- sive but do require community vision and ning of main street, install a modern commitment. As the city grows, the main roundabout (a slow-speed intersection street can be expanded into the properly de- treatment where entering motorists signed transition area. yield to those already in the intersection) to compel drivers to slow down. LIABILITY Transition At some point in the effort to reduce traffic speeds, someone may question the potential liability of introducing traffic calming onto a The boundaries of a good downtown are highway. This has not proven to be a problem on urban streets. In easy to identify. As you travel along a suc- 1997, the Institute of Transportation Engineers surveyed 68 agencies cessful main street, the pavement width responsible for about 900 traffic calming projects and found that only and sidewalk width, building types, and 6 lawsuits out of 1,500 filed against these agencies involved traffic calming, and only 2 of the suits were successful. landscaping change to provide a clear Experience confirms that the potential benefits of traffic calming far transition into the downtown. This clues outweigh the potential liability. Lawsuits can be minimized in the the motorist to slow down and expect pe- same way as other aspects of highway design: destrians, cars pulling out from parking, and • Clear policy. someplace pleasant to stop. There are sev- • Good process that involves the public and documents the need. eral ways to reinforce the proper message: • Appropriate design based on established goals. • Add a gateway: make the entrance to • Consideration of users, especially the young, elderly, and disabled. • Clear and consistent signing and marking. the downtown look special with curbs, • Proper maintenance. a landscaped median, fountain, monu- If in doubt about a particular project, consult legal counsel and other ment marker, a welcome sign, public agencies that have implemented similar designs. art, or banners announcing events.

26 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Crossing

Highways are important transportation links, but they can also be significant barriers, especially to pedestrians. Busy urban highways reduce pedestrian travel Typical statement: “We need a stop sign and disrupt access, which can have a (or signal) at this intersection.” See also: chilling effect on main street businesses. Possible problems: High speeds, difficulty Antidotes are reducing traffic speed Speed and Access crossing or turning on highway, and colli- (discussed above), shifting trucks to more in this Chapter, sions. suitable routes (discussed below), manag- and ing vehicle access (discussed below), and Potential ingredients: Traffic controls if Traffic Controls, increasing pedestrian crossing opportuni- warranted, corner radius reduction, curb Enforcement, ties. extensions, median, lane width reduction, Median, and Curb The priority in main street intersection travel lane removal, and other speed-reduction measures. Extension in design is to make all users feel safe and Chapter 4. comfortable. Many urban intersections, H including main streets, have complex traf- Typical statement: “The agencies won’t fic patterns and designs unsuitable to pe- mark the crosswalks; they say it’s too dan- destrians and bicyclists. The blind, in par- gerous.” ticular, are often faced with long crossings that are hard to follow, have poorly placed Possible problems: Inadequate sight dis- ramps, have signals and traffic phases that tance, poor crosswalk visibility, and long crossing distance. cannot be heard, and that put obstacles in their path. The combination has proven Potential ingredients: Curb extensions, lethal, with a disproportionate rate of median, refuge islands, and high-visibility blind, visually impaired, young, and old crosswalks. pedestrians being killed or injured when crossing streets. Good signalized intersection design include traffic phases that are understandable to the disabled and ample pedestrian crossing time. Pedestrians want to be in the street no longer than necessary, so crossing distances need to be kept short by keeping lanes no wider than necessary, eliminating unnecessary lanes, aligning intersections at 90 degrees, and using tight corners and curb extensions. On multiple-lane streets, medians and refuge islands can also be used to We can’t put a signal at every corner, but shorten crossings. we can calm traffic, reduce conflicts, and make the pedestrian more visible.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 27 Most intersections in the heart of down- Some pedestrians will want to cross at town, with or without signals, need to mid-block locations. To increase pedes- have marked crosswalks. Combined with trian crossing opportunities and safety, curb extensions, medians, illumination, several approaches can be considered: and signage, marked crosswalks can • Assist safe crossings between signals improve the visibility of pedestrian cross- with signal timing that creates gaps in ings. Crosswalks send the message to traffic. This allows the pedestrian to motorists that they are encroaching on a identify when it is safe to cross at any pedestrian area. point on the street. It works best Over the years, some transportation where traffic is moderate, speeds are planners have expressed concern that low, the street is not too wide, and marked crosswalks could create a false people tend to cross randomly. sense of security for the pedestrian. This • At mid-block locations with many concern may be valid where travel speeds pedestrians (apartment complexes, are high and pedestrian numbers low, senior citizen centers, schools, parks, such as the highway transition areas into shopping areas, libraries, hospitals downtown. However, this is not the and other public or institutional uses), situation in a downtown, if travel speeds use curb extensions, median refuge are appropriate and there are enough islands, and high-visibility cross- visual cues to tell the motorist to expect walks. This creates preferred crossing pedestrians. Where pedestrian safety and points that most pedestrians will use security are lacking, strong design and if they are convenient and close to enforcement may solve the problem. Well- destinations. This approach will also designed crossings provide real security for improve safety by reducing conflicts pedestrians, especially children who have and providing more crossing opportu- incomplete traffic awareness and skills. nities for the disabled.

A lack of good crossings creates a sense of insecurity.

28 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Access Vehicle access to main street destinations is provided by on-street parking, driveways, and side streets. Pedestrian access is provided by sidewalks and other walkways. Access for the disabled takes many Typical statement: “There’s not enough forms but is primarily concerned with parking downtown.” providing good surfaces and building Possible problems: Parking hard to find, See also: entrances for the mobility-impaired, and predictable routes free of obstacles for the poor walking conditions, and lack of pe- Crossing in vision-impaired. destrian destinations. this chapter Too much access can be a bad thing. Potential ingredients: Signing, various pe- and Just as buildings have just a few entrances destrian improvements, and parking man- Driveways in for security and efficiency, parking lots agement. Chapter 4. must also have well-defined driveways R designed for safe ingress and egress and efficient circulation. Typical statement: “Those big delivery In most downtown situations, vehicle trucks block the road.” access is well served by on-street parking Possible problems: Inadequate loading and by parking at the rear of the building zones, inappropriate delivery times, and reached by a side street. This shifts the poor parking management. turns from mid-block to intersections Potential ingredients: Develop downtown where they are more predictable and circulation plan with an adequate local safer. Drive-throughs are not appropriate street network, and a delivery and trash in downtown. Deliveries need to be pickup plan. provided through alleys and side streets where they will not disrupt the highway. Q Too many access points also put pedes- Typical statement: “We can’t have a me- trians at greater risk, and driveway cuts can dian, it’ll kill our business!” make it difficult to meet ADA standards. Possible problems: Poor site access, long Too many uncontrolled accesses to a blocks, and car-oriented businesses. highway create conflicts with through traffic, which results in high collision Ingredients: Driveway management and rates. The more lanes to turn across, the local street network. more danger—wide, 5-lane highways are T particularly prone to collisions. Typical statement: “It’s really difficult to go Too many access points also decrease anywhere in my wheelchair.” crossing opportunities. When a gap is created in the traffic stream, motorists Possible problems: Sidewalks and crossings entering the road downstream fill the gap. need upgrading or maintenance. Pedestrians seeking refuge in a center turn Potential ingredients: Wide, well-designed lane are unprotected. One access man- walkways and maintenance. agement tool that benefits both capacity and pedestrians is a well-designed raised median.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 29 To provide optimum circulation, access, and crossing opportunities, an ideal downtown block length is between 200 One way to address and 400 feet. Communities with incom- parking problems is to plete street grids or longer blocks can manage the supply. provide more street and pedestrian connections by improving undeveloped rights-of-way, improving alleys, and redeveloping large blocks with new streets, walkways, or alleyway connections. Access for people with various impair- See also: ments—mobility, sight, hearing, reason- ing—is another important design responsi- Local Street bility. The Americans with Disabilities Act Network (ADA) requires that transportation facilities in Chapter 4 accommodate the disabled. ODOT walkway standards meet or exceed minimum ADA requirements, and projects must use the Standard Drawings developed by ODOT and the American Public Works Association (APWA) to construct sidewalks, curb cuts, and driveways. However, there is still room for improvement, such as predictable signal phasing (the blind cannot distinguish the complicated and variable traffic patterns of many signalized intersections).

Sidewalk design can be more challenging than roadway design.

30 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Congestion

Congestion is usually at the top of the complaint list for highways and main street. However, congestion is a slippery thing. In most places, congestion means Typical statement: “There’s too much traf- delay for motorists and other road users, fic downtown.” but only peaks once or twice a day. Possible problems: Overreliance on highway for local traffic, inadequate access, and unattractive street.

Potential ingredients: Local street network and various sidewalk area improvements. Q

Typical statement: “The highway is failing to reach its designated mobility standard.”

Possible problems: Lack of alternate routes and inefficient use of existing routes.

Potential ingredients: Local street network, transit, secondary route, couplet, bypass, It is undesirable to build all of our and traffic controls. highways for the worst possible conges- § tion because it can result in roads that are unnecessarily wide and expensive and Typical statement: “If only there was some that encourage low-value trips. We need way to get the big trucks out of down- to look carefully at what we‘re trying to town—they’re so noisy and smelly!” Possible problems: Few alternatives for local traffic, sidewalks too narrow, and un- EXAMPLE coordinated signal timing.

In some places, congestion only occurs when Potential ingredients: Truck route around there is a holiday weekend or a big event, as downtown, wider sidewalks, buffer for side- in Sisters, Oregon. As the planning director walk, and improved signal timing. of that city says, “Most days you could bowl i on the state highway without fear, but around a dozen times a year, it can take 20 minutes Typical statement: “Cars cut through our to travel 6 blocks.” neighborhood to avoid the highway.” Possible problems: Delay at main street in- To cope with predictable congestion, the city tersections and overbuilt local streets. and ODOT agreed to sign temporary detours around main street on parallel arterials for Potential ingredients: Traffic controls and peak congestion periods. improved local street network.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 31 accomplish. The overall function of the highway needs to be considered, as well as the type of traffic that‘s being held up by congestion. Some congestion can be a good thing for downtowns. It slows traffic down, giving people a chance to look at things and maybe decide to stop. Most of the world‘s great streets are very crowded— people may complain, but they still go there because it‘s where things are hap- CONGESTION COSTS pening. “Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded,” Yogi Berra quipped. From an economic perspective, congestion However, if most of the traffic is is a significant cost primarily imposed by individual drivers on other road users and See also: through, or long-distance travel, regular on the community. Every mile driven in ur- and severe congestion can contribute to a Street System in ban peak conditions costs about $0.17 in decline in the downtown‘s health. When delay, stress, vehicle wear, noise, and air Chapter 4 this happens, it is typical to look at in- pollution. creasing the capacity of the highway to solve the problem. However, actions such Main street design can help avoid conges- as removing on-street parking, widening tion by providing reasons for drivers to walk, such as attractive buildings, comfort- the street, or adding travel lanes can be able surroundings, easy crossings, a vari- detrimental to main street. ety of destinations within walking distance, Communities need to first make sure good bicycling and transit connections, that the whole street system is functioning and clear routes to parking. well. A well-developed street system offers alternate arterial or collector routes for Also, attractive surroundings can reduce local travel. Well-crafted transportation drivers’ perceived delay (the amount of time a driver estimates that it takes to get and land use plans encourage local trips somewhere). by foot, bicycle, and transit. Care must be taken to not divert highway traffic onto Source: Transportation Cost Analysis, Vic- unsuitable residential streets; it may be toria Transport Policy Institute, April 1999. necessary to implement an area-wide traffic-calming program to prevent un- wanted cut-through traffic. The Oregon Highway Plan requires that existing facilities be protected, made more efficient, and improved before any new facilities are built. Only as a last resort, when congestion becomes unmanageable and all other alternatives have been exhausted, is it time to examine the

potential for a truck route or bypass. x TRAFFIC VOLUME

Most main street traffic is local. CITY CENTER

32 Chapter 3: RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Chapter 4 Ingredients

he previous chapter looked at main street issues from a plan- T ning perspective—what needs to be considered and accomplished for every project. This chapter looks at specific Ingredients designs that can be used in combination Street System ...... 34 on main street projects. Local Street Network ...... 35 First, the overall street system should be Secondary Route...... 36 considered. Many basic problems on main Couplet ...... 36 street can best be addressed by making Bypass ...... 37 Roadway Area Design ...... 38 changes to other streets. Bikeways ...... 39 Next, this chapter addresses the many Channelization ...... 40 potential design and land use elements— Corner Radius ...... 41 the ingredients—that are needed to make Crosswalk ...... 42 Median ...... 43 a vital, successful, “flavorful” main street. On-Street Parking ...... 44 The ingredients are organized by area: the Pavement Markings ...... 45 roadway area, the sidewalk area, and the Refuge Island ...... 46 building area. Finally, some of the other Signing ...... 47 Textured Crosswalk & Pavement ..... 49 ingredients that can support the design Traffic Controls ...... 50 and land use elements are discussed. The Transitions...... 52 ingredients in each section organized Travel Lane Removal ...... 55 alphbetically (not by order of importance). Travel Lane Width ...... 56 Sidewalk Area Design ...... 57 Each main street will be unique. Curb Extension ...... 58 Driveways ...... 60 Maintenance ...... 61 TERMS Sidewalks ...... 62 Street Furniture ...... 63 Building area: The property adjacent to the highway but outside the right-of-way which Trees & Landscaping ...... 65 contains the buildings, parks, and other land uses. Utilities ...... 67 Roadway area: The paved portion of the highway Building Area: Design and Land Use... 68 primarily used by vehicles. Building Setbacks and Orientation . 68 Sidewalk area: The portion of the highway Building Façades—Avoiding dedicated to the sidewalks, planting strip, and Blank Walls...... 68 other nonvehicular uses. Building Height ...... 69 Also refer to the Glossary in the Appendix. Off-Street Parking ...... 69 Mix of Uses ...... 70 Public Spaces, Plazas, and Activity Centers ...... 70 Other Ingredients ...... 72 Enforcement...... 72 Non-Highway Designs ...... 72

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 33 Street System

community’s street system has to ments” such as adjusting the signal timing. Awork together as a whole. If the other However, if main street is being asked to major and minor streets don’t work well, do more than it should, the surrounding the main street will also perform poorly street system should be improved, if because it will be asked to do too much. possible, before considering widening the Conversely, if the main street is an ob- highway. Some of the alternatives include stacle to travel, the traffic will spill over improving the local street network grid, into the other streets and degrade the developing a secondary route for through entire system. traffic, converting parallel streets into a As discussed previously, the main street one-way couplet, and building a bypass. A itself should be as well-managed as community should be sure that these possible through such techniques as issues are addressed in the local Transpor- access control, especially of private tation System Plan or Corridor Plan. driveways, and “operational improve-

Four system alternatives to help main street.

LOCAL STREET NETWORK

COUPLET

SECONDARY ROUTE BYPASS

TERMS Bypass: Highway for through traffic that avoids the downtown. Couplet: Two one-way streets that handle traffic in opposite directions. Grid: Street network with generally straight streets and many square intersections. Local street: Smaller street serving local destinations rather than through traffic. Secondary Route: A parallel road to main street suitable for through traffic. Street network: A web of interconnecting streets of all types. Also refer to the Glossary in the Appendix.

34 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Local Street Network

A functional main street depends on short blocks and many connecting streets. It is rare to see blocks longer than 400 ft on traditional main streets. Some older cities have blocks as short as 200 ft. Short blocks are desirable because: • Main street is the city center that should be connected by direct routes to all neighborhoods. • Traffic on the main street can access businesses and side-street parking easily. • Side streets provide on-street parking The street network above has relatively few in- so that lots can be used for buildings tersections, which concentrates local traffic on rather than off-street parking. a few major streets and highways. The network • Local traffic can use side streets for below has about twice as many intersections, most trips, using main street only for which allows local trips to avoid the highways. destinations on the highway. • Shorter blocks encourage more pedestrian movement. • Pedestrians have frequent opportunities to cross streets. • There are more corner lots which are desirable for businesses and which provide greater flexibility in site planning. • Corners give life to the street and interest to buildings. It is rarely practical to cut new streets through existing lots, but there may be opportunities. Look for undeveloped public rights-of-way, unnecessarily large parking lots, and old industrial areas that are being redeveloped. In any case, make sure the existing side streets are functional and complement the Improve Local Street Network main street with on-street parking, side- Use To: Divert local trips off of highway and walks, trees, and all the other aspects of a increase system capacity. good street. Good News: Improves local circulation and provides more on-street parking.

Bad News: New road construction is expensive and may require purchasing right-of-way.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 35 Secondary Route for Couplet (2 one-way Through Traffic streets)

What is the role of the main street in the A couplet is two streets acting as one: traf- larger community? Is main street the only fic flows one-way on both streets but in through route or are there other existing opposite directions. The two streets are or potential roads that can be used by usually a block apart and stretch through through or local traffic? You may find that the downtown. Once outside the down- you can route some of the traffic, espe- town, the couplet rejoins to form a normal cially trucks, onto a parallel street. This two-way street. will distribute the traffic on more streets Couplets are fairly common because and relieve main street of having to carry they are an easy way to increase highway the full load. capacity. They have an added benefit for Look for these potential characteristics pedestrians who need only look in one di- It is particularly im- in a parallel route: rection when crossing the street. However, portant to involve • Minimal out-of-direction travel; travel this benefit may be offset by higher vehicle residents and busi- time should be faster, or at least no speed on one-way streets and the risk of ness owners when slower, than the main street. cars in the far lane not seeing or failing to planning secondary • Few interruptions (stop signs, active stop for a crossing pedestrian. Also, mer- routes, couplets and railroads, etc.). chants along a proposed couplet some- bypasses. • Good intersections where the parallel times resist the one-way travel for fear that route leaves and rejoins the highway. half the traffic will miss their stores. • Adequate width, geometry and Two-way streets tend to have lower traf- structure for the anticipated traffic. fic speeds because the opposing lanes cre- • Suitable adjacent land uses. ate a sense of friction which causes drivers • Good, clear signage. to slow down. If there is extra width (above Sometimes existing roads can be modi- standard) when 2-way streets are made fied without too much difficulty by widen- into one-way couplets, speed increases ing a few blocks and upgrading intersec- can be counteracted by adding bike lanes, tions. If these improvements are planned on-street parking, wider sidewalks, street anyway, it may be a matter of moving trees, and curb extensions. them ahead of other projects. Drivers can be confused by one-way streets and bicyclists object to the out-of- direction travel. A large grid of one-way streets can be frustrating to all users. Ample signing, good intersection design at the beginning and end, and frequent park- Create Second Through Route ing opportunities Make Parallel Streets One-Way Use To: Divert some through trips around are particularly im- main street. portant with cou- Use To: Increase capacity of main street. plets. If a couplet Good News: Removes some trucks from Good News: Relatively inexpensive and has proves unsuccessful, main street and speeds their travel. some advantages to pedestrians. the streets can al- Bad News: Depends on having a fairly di- ways be returned to Bad News: Tends to increase speed and has rect route that can be improved. two-way operation. some disadvantages for all users.

36 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Bypass • Heavy through traffic volumes over- load even a well-designed street The idea of a bypass often comes up in system. discussions where there is heavy traffic on • The highway is designated part of the main street. It’s often seen as the one big freight system. solution to get through traffic out of • Air and noise pollution from the stop- downtown. However, in many cases traffic and-go traffic is a significant problem. studies have shown that most of the trips • A new route for the bypass is logical on main street are local and may not be and will attract through traffic. See also: attracted to a bypass. • Access to the bypass is limited. In the right circumstances and if prop- • Environmental consequences are Congestion in erly designed, a bypass can help divert acceptable. Chapter 3 some traffic, but it is not a cure-all and Even when these conditions exist, it may experience shows that bypasses have still be physically, financially, or politically mixed results. impractical to build a new highway. With Bypasses are very expensive and gener- or without a bypass, upgrading the exist- ate much debate. The controversy that ing street system and making sure new goes on while the community discusses a development supports main street are still bypass may detract from other issues. If essential. approved, people often think the problem will be solved and they don’t need to support other improvements to main street. Also, if a bypass removes too much traffic, the economic vitality of the main street can suffer. The long-term tendency is for commercial land development to occur where there is the most traffic. In addition, when the state highway is routed to a bypass, the local jurisdiction usually assumes responsibility for the existing Too much through roadway; this can add considerably to a traffic downtown community’s operation and maintenance may argue for an alternate route. costs. For most transportation problems, common sense tells us that we choose the simplest and most economical solution Bypass Main Street rather than the most complex and expen- Use To: Divert most through trips around sive. Approach the issue of bypasses with main street. great caution. Consider them only when Good News: Gets traffic off of main street. all other solutions have been tried and failed. The conditions under which a Bad News: Very expensive and can harm bypass may work include: main street if not well planned.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 37 Roadway Area Design

Designs NOT recommended Several common roadway design elements he following design features for main give priority to the moving vehicle at the ex- Tstreets are listed alphabetically. These pense of the pedestrian and are not normally are the ingredients for your project. Just as used on a main street. These traffic priority devices include: in cooking, the same ingredients can yield vastly different results depending on how • Free right-turn lane which widens the intersection crossing distance and eliminates the you combine them and in what portions. window of stopped traffic. There are few hard rules and creativity is part of the mix. As always, keep your • Left-turn stacking lane which eliminates the median as a refuge in the center of a wide goals in mind before throwing in ingredi- street. ents. • Speed-change lane which widens the street The figure below shows various designs by an additional lane at the point of pedes- at the junction of two main streets. trian crossing.

Colored Shoulder On-Street Parking Trees Other Ingedients not Shown • Channelization • Travel Lane Removal • Travel Lane Width Traffic Control Bikeway

High-Visibility Crosswalk Refuge Island Drainage

Textured Pavement Corner Radius Raised Median

38 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Bikeways cycle riding on sidewalks in downtown areas.) Similarly, directing bicycles to side Facilities for bicycles, such as bike lanes streets isn’t effective. Although parallel or paved shoulders, are normally provided routes should be encouraged, cyclists, like on urban highways. These are typically 6 motorists and pedestrians, consider main ft (1.8 m) wide. street a destination. Main streets need to provide safe travel The exact facility depends on several and access for bicyclists as well as motor- factors including speed, traffic volume, ists and pedestrians. Where there’s enough truck volume, bicycle use, available right- right-of-way, this can be done through of-way, and on-street parking. The Oregon striping of bike lanes. Bike lanes are 5–6 ft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan discusses the wide. See also: many options and trade-offs. In fact, where right-of-way is very wide, However they are accommodated, bicy- Bicycle Parking a striped bike lane can help better define clists are encouraged to use a good main under Street travel lanes and help calm traffic. How- street. Their presence indicates that the Furniture ever, on most main streets, right-of-way is street works well, they help calm traffic by limited and there is often insufficient room setting the pace for other vehicles, and bi- to accommodate bike lanes along with cycling allows nondrivers to access main other important main street features, par- street destinations. ticularly sidewalks and on-street parking. Where right-of-way is inadequate to accommodate a bike lane, other treatments to accommodate cyclists can be used. If speeds are very low—25 mph or less—cy- Shared clists can share a regular travel lane with Lane cars. Where speeds are above 25 mph, or traffic volumes are high, a wider outside lane should be considered. However, this treatment needs to be used carefully to assure that it does not actually encourage traffic to go faster through downtown. Keeping motor vehicle speeds low, as well Wide as providing incentives such as convenient Lane bicycle parking, will enable most bicyclists to ride main street with comfort. Some approaches don’t work well. For Add Space for Bicyclists example, having cyclists use sidewalks Use To: Improve bicycle travel. creates conflicts between cyclists and Bike Good News: Relatively inexpensive where Lane there is available right-of-way, increases ac- pedestrians and a cess, and helps calm traffic. safety hazard. (For this reason many Bad News: Requires roadway width. cities prohibit bi-

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 39 Channelization Channelization is an engineering term that means movements are physically controlled through the use of curbs, islands, plastic posts, or painted markings. A common form of channelization is the left- or right-turn lane. A variation is the right-turn channel, often called a “slip lane.” Slip lanes are typically provided on intersections where See also: right-turn movements are very high. Slip lanes can have both advantages and Refuge Islands disadvantages for the main street. With proper attention to sight angle and curvature, a slip lane can help to separate con- A slip lane is sometimes flicts between turning and through ve- used to facilitate turns. hicles, between trucks and cars, and between vehicles and pedestrians. Typically, slip lanes mean a wider street, and can encourage higher speed turns; both of these characteristics can be intimidating to pedestrians. Unless there is a separate signal for the slip lane, the pedestrian often has to wait for a motorist to yield and then wait again at the regular intersection. Also, the nonstandard corner geometry is extremely difficult for the blind to negotiate. For these reasons, slip lanes need to be avoided on main streets. On the other hand, where the volume of turning vehicles at an intersection or driveway is so high that removing slower turning vehicles from the traffic flow is a Slip lanes require pedestrians to change critical safety need, an island can be pro- direction and to wait longer but can help vided for pedestrians to break up the crossing distance. The curb cuts need to reduce conflicts with turning vehicles. have very clear tactile markings. Where there are signals, crosswalks normally have pedestrian phases on all segments. Channelize Traffic Left-turn lanes have the same general advantages and disadvantages as slip Use To: Increase capacity of main street. lanes. Additional disadvantages to pedes- Good News: Reduces vehicle conflicts with trians are that a left-turn lane can hide a other vehicles. pedestrian from through traffic, and a me- Bad News: Increases vehicle conflicts with dian, if it exists, is partially consumed by pedestrians and disadvantages the blind. the turn lane.

40 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Corner Radius streets, 40 ft (12 m) or more where large truck combinations and buses turn fre- What engineers call the “corner curb quently, and that ”radii dimensions should radius” is the sharpness of the corner. On be coordinated with crosswalk distances most older traditional main streets, the or special designs to make crosswalks safe See also: corners are often very sharp, with a small for all pedestrians.” It stresses that ”ad- Curb Extension corner radius; this is one of the most equate radii for vehicles must be balanced effective tools for controlling speed. A against the needs of pedestrians and the vehicle turning a corner has to clear the difficulty of acquiring additional right-of- curb, and the sharper the corner, the way or corner setbacks.” slower the vehicle must go. Rather than use a circular radius at Pedestrians rely on intersections to cross large-radius corners (40 ft or more), roadways. At the same time, by adding alternative designs include symmetrical left- and right-turn lanes and large turning compound curves, asymmetrical com- radii, intersections are often the widest pound curves, or simple radius curves parts of the street. A wide street increases with tapers. These designs better fit the the pedestrian’s threshold gap for crossing, paths of turning vehicles and improve thereby degrading mobility. The distance operations. pedestrians must cross is an important At an intersection where there is a consideration in design; every corner is parking lane or bike lane on either street, unique. the extra width serves to increase the For curb radii on arterial streets, the turning radius by 6–14 ft (1.8–4.2 m) so Green Book (see Glossary) recommends that the actual curb radius can be re- 25 ft (7.5 m) or more at minor cross duced. Where main street intersects lesser streets, 30 ft (9 m) or more at major cross streets, the turning radius is based on the expected vehicle type making the turn. On one-way streets, 2 of the 4 corners can have very small radii since turns are not allowed. As with all main street design, it is important to remember that every corner is unique and needs to be designed individually.

R1 3 R 2 Reduce Corner Radius

Use To: Shorten and align pedestrian crossings; reduce vehicle turning speed; improve pedestrian visibility. R1 = Actual curb radius R2 = Effective radius Good News: Greatly improves pedestrian R3 = Curb radius needed without bike lane & convenience and safety. parking Bad News: May not work where large ve- On-street parking & bike lane hicles must turn. permit a tighter corner.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 41 Crosswalk

Legal crosswalks exist on all legs of all intersections, including T-intersections, except where closed by ordinance and See also: appropriately signed. Crosswalks may be marked or unmarked. Marked crosswalks Corner Radius alert motorists that they are approaching a high pedestrian area, assuming that they Curb Extension can see the markings. Some crosswalks also have signs and even flashing beacons Median to attract attention. Curb extensions and Marked crosswalks are standard Refuge Island refuge islands also help alert the motorist on main street intersections. to crosswalks. Textured Pavement Flexibility in Highway Design notes that two parallel painted lines are generally Traffic Controls not enough of a distinguishing marking for crosswalks. Often motorists confuse these lines with the stopping line and pull right up into the crosswalk. At a minimum, a ladder pattern type of striping or painting inside the crosswalk area is recommended to improve visibility. Colored crosswalks can also help visibility. A stop bar may also help discourage motorists from stopping in the crosswalk. Lighting is also important for crosswalks. The crosswalk needs to be well-lit from A short crossing distance is above. Some communities are also con- imperative for slow pedestrians. sidering the use of embedded lighting to make the crosswalk highly visible at night.

Provide Crosswalks

Use To: Improve pedestrian crossing opportunities and comfort.

Good News: Helps identify preferred crossing locations and get the attention of drivers.

Bad News: Needs to be visible and works Two parallel lines may not be best with other measures to improve crossings and slow traffic. seen by motorists.

42 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Median On the 5-lane urban highways that often lead into a downtown, installing a raised Wide streets—four or more lanes—gener- median in place of a continuous center ally need a raised median to lessen the left-turn lane has the effect of reducing shy amount of continuous asphalt. Medians distance on one side. Reducing the shy provide a physical separation between distance from 6 to 4 ft typically results in a travel lanes, a refuge area for pedestrians, speed drop of about 0.4 mph; going from See also: a space for attractive landscaping, and a 6 to 2-ft shy distance drops the speed by place to store snow when needed. about 0.9 mph (Highway Capacity Driveways Raised medians reduce conflicts be- Manual, Transportation Research Board, tween pedestrians and vehicles because 1994). Refuge Island they allow pedestrians to cross only one Speed studies on city streets show even direction of traffic at a time. Also, there is greater reductions of nearly 2 mph for less continuous exposure for the pedes- raised medians alone and 5 mph when trian because it takes less time to cross used with curb extensions (Anne Arundel one or two lanes of traffic than two or County, Maryland). four. Pedestrian crossing times on an un- Although raised medians have an initial signalized, multilane street without a me- construction cost and any landscaping dian are up to 10 times longer than they will require maintenance, long-term costs are with a median (National Cooperative compared to paving are roughly equiva- Highway Research Program, Report 294A, lent. June 1987). Where raised medians are used for access management, they need to be constructed so they also provide a pedestrian refuge. Where it is not possible to provide a continuous raised median, island refuges can be created at and between intersections and other accesses. These are typically located across from high pedestrian generators such as schools, park entrances, libraries, and parking lots. In most instances, the width of the raised median is the width of the center Landscaped median in Sweet Home has turn-lane, minus the necessary shy dis- breaks for pedestrians. tance (for the desired speed) on each side. Where street width is limited, even a 4-ft median can be beneficial. Construct Raised Median Ideally, raised medians are constructed with a smooth, traversable surface, such as Use To: Improve overall street appearance concrete or brick pavers. If a median is and operation, including slowing traffic. also landscaped, the plants need to be Good News: Benefits all users, especially spaced far enough apart to allow passage pedestrians. by pedestrians. Low-growing plants will allow pedestrians to be seen by motorists. Bad News: Takes up width; may complicate drainage.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 43 On-Street Parking parking is often cited as an advantage for pedestrians, primarily as a buffer. Yet on- On-street parking is normal, necessary, street parking also uses space that could and expected in most downtown business be used for wider sidewalks or bike lanes. areas, including main streets. Parking next There are many possible parking configu- to the sidewalk helps establish building rations, but the most common are parallel orientation to the street, which is so im- and angled. Only parallel parking is allowed portant to main street vitality. on state highways, with any other type re- See also: Businesses often insist that parking must quiring a design exception from ODOT. be available adjacent to their building, It is a good idea to direct large vehicles, Curb Extension which holds true only when the pedes- such as motor homes and long pickups, trian experience is unpleasant. On main to side streets or parking lots that can ac- street, walking is designed to be positive, commodate them. and intentionally walking several blocks is Parallel Parking presumed to be acceptable and even plea- Parallel parking on one side of the street surable. On-street parking provides a hope requires at least 7 ft (2.1 m) of roadway of parking close to the destination which width (ODOT’s standard is 8 ft or 2.4 m). is all most people need. For additional infor- A wide outside travel lane of 14 ft (4.3 m) Parking studies frequently reveal that mation on parking, is also desirable to provide clearance for downtowns do not have severe parking read The Parking opening doors and for bicycles. Where space deficiencies; rather, spaces are not Handbook for Small right-of-way width permits, a bike lane being managed well. For example, employ- can be provided between the travel and Communities ees may be tempted to park close to work, parking lanes. (Edwards, ITE, 1994). but those spaces would be better for short- term customer parking. Time limitation, Angled Parking meters, and ticketing, as well as incentives Angled (aka diagonal) parking is some- for employees to use other commute op- times used on wide streets to create more tions or to park in city-owned lots are all parking spaces, but takes up about 19 ft part of a parking management program. (5.8 m) of roadway width per side. Angled Where parking turnover is high, on- parking also causes conflicts with cars and street parking tends to slow traffic speed bicycles, since drivers backing out have because cars are frequently maneuvering poor visibility of oncoming vehicles and in and out of spaces. The degree of traffic parked vehicles (especially long pickups calming depends on how well the parking and tall sport utility vehicles) obscure is utilized and managed. Interruptions other vehicles backing out. such as driveways and fire hydrants, plus These factors have resulted in ODOT’s lane width also affect traffic calming. position that angled parking on a new or On-street parking also buffers the side- improved highway is walk from traffic but may reduce visibility discouraged, and Provide On-Street Parking of pedestrians crossing the street; for this requires a Design reason, curb extensions are recommended Exception. Changing Use To: Orient access to the street and sidewalk. where there is on-street parking. Curb ex- angled parking to tensions also reinforce the calming effect parallel parking can Good News: Improves car access, slows traf- of on-street parking by narrowing the ap- provide space for fic, and buffers sidewalk from travel lane; pearance of the street when many of the bicycle lanes, medi- works well with curb extensions. parking spaces are empty. ans, and wider side- Bad News: Takes up width; discouraged on While the primary purpose of a street is walks. highways. to transport people and goods, on-street

44 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Pavement Markings

Lines or legends can be placed on a roadway surface for regulating, guiding, or warning traffic. This useful tool is often underutilized because the required maintenance is beyond the resources of the state or local road departments. At the very least, crosswalk and bike lane markings need to be highly visible; reapply them once or twice a year, or use thermoplastic tape. In special cases, a “PED XING” or “SCHOOL XING” pavement marking and a sign before a crosswalk may be appropriate as determined by ODOT. Although street signs are usually posted, it is not always easy for pedestrians to see them. Street names and other markings on sidewalk can help orient the person walking. Markings can be fun (above) or functional (below).

Employ Pavement Markings

Use To: Guide traffic and designate special areas.

Good News: Inexpensive compared to curbs and channelized lanes.

Bad News: Less effective than physical barriers and require maintenance.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 45 Refuge Island

At wide intersections with large corners, there is often a triangular area between a through lane and a turn lane unused by motor vehicle traffic. This triangle is often easy to see because there is less pavement wear and debris where vehicles don’t go. See also: Placing a raised island in this area benefits Channelization pedestrians by: • Allowing pedestrians to cross fewer lanes at a time, and to judge conflicts separately. • Providing a refuge so that slower pedestrians can wait for a break in the traffic stream. Refuge islands help pedestrians • Reducing the total crossing distance cross wide streets. (which provides signal timing benefits). • Providing an opportunity to place easily accessible pedestrian push- buttons. Islands must be large enough to provide refuge for several pedestrians waiting at once. For wheelchair accessibility, it is preferable to provide at-grade cuts rather than ramps. Poles must be mounted away from curb cuts and out of the pedestrian path. Drainage from and around the island must be carefully designed. An island can also be provided in the middle of an intersection as a short median section. Ideally, the island will be at least 8 ft (2.4 m) wide; ODOT’s minimum for a median is 6 ft (1.8 m) which is just long enough for a single bicycle (not a tandem) or a person pushing a stroller to Construct Refuge Island wait. A median island may preclude a left- Use To: Break up long crosswalks into shorter turn lane and is not typically used at segments. places where there are many left turns. Good News: Slows traffic and highlights crosswalk.

Bad News: May complicate drainage and snow removal, take up width, and interfere with turning trucks.

46 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Signing have been made on arterial streets in many Although most main street designs are Oregon communities where speeding is self-explanatory, there is a need to keep always near the top of citizen complaints. people informed about what is expected of If the purpose of a speed zone is to reduce them in what may be unfamiliar surround- speed, it must be supported by correspond- ings. Most roadway signing and pavement ing street designs that slow traffic safely, markings are explained in the Manual on and by enforcement where necessary. Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) The traffic calming measures discussed and by ODOT’s Traffic Management Sec- in this handbook generally don’t need or tion which governs their use. Size, color, rely on advance signs to advise motorists placement, and even the type of sign sup- of their location. None of the measures port are highly standardized. represent a hazard to motorists operating their vehicles at appropriate speeds. Temporary Signing Some crosswalks, such as at the edges of Temporary traffic calming or diversions downtown, may benefit from advance may be appropriate to deal with intermit- warning signs, pedestrian crossing signs at tent and predictable problems. See the ex- the crossing itself, and regulatory signs at ample of the City of Sisters, Oregon in Ap- intersections. Use these signs sparingly, pendix A. because excessive signage leads to signs Permanent Signing being missed or ignored; a traffic study will probably be needed to tell if signs are There are hundreds of approved signs de- appropriate. scribed in the MUTCD and sometimes it seems as if they are all on one street! Some signs orient people to where they are or need to go. Other traffic signs include speed limit, stop, yield, and warning signs. Warning and Regulatory Signs Well-designed roads make it clear to users how to proceed, and require very little signing. An overabundance of warning and regulatory signs indicates design deficiencies. The attention of drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians needs to be on the road and Temporary sign for highway other users, not on an uproar of signs. traffic through Sisters, Oregon. Oversigning is ineffective, distracts drivers, clutters the streetscape, creates compliance problems, and wastes resources. Employ Temporary Signing Motorists tend to obey signs that rein- Use To: Inform people of special conditions. force what they are experiencing and to ignore signs that don’t. In a summary of Good News: Inexpensive. studies from 23 states, compliance with a Bad News: Problems must be predictable posted speed of 25 mph on collector and able to be handled for a brief time. streets was only 17%. Similar observations

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 47 Pedestrian Crossing signs are sometimes To avoid adding clutter to the ex- used at locations where a crossing is not isting street signs, cluster signs normally encountered. This is usually at together on one post, placed mid-block locations, where the adjacent in strategic locations. Kiosks, land use is likely to generate a fairly high "finger posts," and building number of crossings. corners are also good locations for pedestrian-oriented signs. The Sign W11-2 best signs are unobtrusive, easy to read, may be used in aesthetic, and placed in such a way that advance of they are visible to pedestrians and not to crossings or in motorists. areas of high To add interest in the downtown and to pedestrian use provide pedestrians with useful information, signs can: • List the stores, perhaps on a map, at a central gathering place. • Tell about historic struc- Informational Signs tures and local landmarks. Information signs can be used to: • Identify special plants and • Explain signal synchronization in ad- natural features. Sign W11A-2 is vance of a series of signals. Clearly • Recognize people who have donated used only at indicate the ideal travel speed (i.e., energy and resources to making main crosswalks 20 mph). street work. • Give directions to parking and other Since no standards have yet been devel- destinations at the gateways to main oped in Oregon for pedestrian-only signs, street. please consult with ODOT and work to- • Provide differential directional signs gether to ensure that size, lettering and for motorists and for pedestrians. placement are mutually beneficial. The For motorists, signs are normally large, following example can be used as a start- mounted fairly high, and indicate destina- ing point: tions relatively far away; they may not ad- equately serve pedestrians. For pedestrians, standard signs and markings have not been developed. In general, signs need to be lower, smaller, Employ Permanent Signing and in the pedestrians line of sight. Dis- tances given in measurements meaningful Use To: Inform or warn drivers, bicyclists, and to pedestrians such as blocks or average pedestrians. walking time are more useful. Examples of Good News: Inexpensive; informational signs key destinations are libraries, schools, mu- help orient visitors. seums, entertainment centers, and shopping districts. On one-way streets, street Bad News: Warning signs tend to have lim- signs that face both ways can be read by ited effectiveness; too many signs clutter the foot traffic from both directions. streetscape.

48 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Textured Crosswalk and Pavement

Textured crossings, such as nonslip bricks or pavers, may raise a driver’s awareness through increased noise and vibration. Their use may increase the effectiveness of See also: other measures such as curb extensions Channelization and medians. Colored pavers may increase the visibility of the crosswalk, although pavers and bricks typically darken with age and may need to be cleaned periodically and supplemented with crosswalk lines. Pavers are more expensive to maintain than painted crosswalks, since pavers must be replaced periodically and sometimes Pavers can help mark crosswalks. settle (this is partially offset by the reduced paving area). Texturing has no effect on speed unless combined with other measures such as curb extensions and curb radius reduction. Because texturing may create traction or stability problems for some users (seniors, the disabled, wheelchairs, and bicycles), consider texturing the crosswalk edges or the street before the crosswalk and leaving the crosswalk smooth.

Create Pavement Texture

Use To: Highlight crosswalk or intersection.

Good News: Attractive; complements curb extensions.

Bad News: Complicates repaving; may cause traction problems for some users; does not slow traffic; may increase noise; fades with age.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 49 Traffic Controls Where movements are relatively balanced on all approaches to the intersec- People sometimes request a stop sign or tion, a 4-way stop control functions well signal, thinking it will solve problems at up to about 1800 vph, but this would be an intersection, when the situation would an unlikely situation on a highway where be better addressed with another type of most of the traffic is on the main street. control or a completely different solution. Putting a stop sign on most highways The most common types of traffic would generally cause unacceptable control at highway intersections are 2-way delays. stops, 4-way (also called all-way) stops, and signals. Yield signs and modern Yield sign roundabouts are a less common alterna- There are specific warrants in the MUTCD tive to stop signs and signals. Special for installing yield signs. They are not used pedestrian signals are used in specific on highways in the direction of through situations. traffic, although intersecting streets may Each type of intersection control has its be appropriate in certain circumstances. advantages and disadvantages. Each has The trouble with yield signs is that specific criteria that must be met, called motorists tend to yield more to other warrants in the MUTCD (see Glossary), motor vehicles and pay less attention to before it can be installed. Whether or not pedestrians and bicyclists, so yield situa- these warrants are met can be determined tions need to be reinforced with good by a traffic study of the intersection. street designs. Compatible designs that can improve operation and safety include Stop sign curb extensions, raised median islands, The most common intersection control is horizontal deflection (such as at round- the 2-way stop: the traffic on the highway abouts), and pavement markings (such as is unimpeded while the traffic on the side crosswalks). street must stop. When used simply to Install Stop or Yield Sign slow traffic, stop signs are ineffective. The experience of numerous cities is that stop Use To: Promote orderly traffic flow at mod- signs result in no change in average speed erate volumes. or in a speed increase as drivers try to Good News: Simple and inexpensive. make up time between stops. However, when used according to safety warrants, Bad News: Must meet warrants; limited ap- stop signs can reduce collision rates. plications; does not slow traffic. As part of the main street strategy, look at the street network that supports the main street and evaluate if some routes Signal and intersections might be improved by A 2-phase signal (one phase for the main traffic controls such as stop signs. street and one for the cross street) with At about 1200-1300 vehicles per hour single-lane approaches can handle up to (vph) entering the intersection from all about 2400 vph under ideal conditions directions, side-street traffic has to wait a and outperforms an all-way stop above very long time and drivers start asking for about 1100 vph. However, signals are in- a signal. efficient with left turns.

50 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Addition of left-turn lanes and a third tails of signal timing that can be adjusted phase to protect left turns on the highway for pedestrians and bicyclists (refer to Or- accommodates up to about 3000 vph but egon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan). may result in increased delay, long lines of Signalized intersections may be the pre- cars waiting for the signal to turn green, ferred pedestrian crossing points at peak and increased crossing distance for all us- traffic hours; at other times, crossing op- ers. portunities close to signalized intersec- One way to improve the performance of tions benefit from a ”platooning” effect, as a series of signals is by synchronizing traffic signals create gaps in traffic. them. Traffic signals are timed to accom- Pedestrian Signal modate smooth motor A pedestrian activated signal may be war- vehicle flows at a de- SIGNAL WARRANTS ranted where the expected number of sired speed. However, Traffic signal warrants as defined in the people needing to cross a roadway at a for proper traffic opera- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control De- particular location is significant, particu- tion, the timing is typi- vices for Streets and Highways. At least larly at the outside edges of downtown. cally set at a higher one of the following warrants must be Anticipated use must be high enough speed than bicycling met to install a signal: (there are specific warrants) for motorists and walking speeds (10– to get used to stopping frequently for a red 1. Minimum Vehicular Volume 20 mph and 2–3 mph, 2. Interruption of Continuous Traffic light (a light that is rarely activated may be respectively). Because of 3. Minimum Pedestrian Volume unnoticed when in use). Pedestrian signals this, signal timing can 4. School Crossings are not typically needed within a down- create difficulties for bi- 5. Progressive Movement town core. Refer to the MUTCD for pedes- cyclists trying to main- 6. Accident Experience trian signal warrants. tain a constant speed to 7. Systems Sight-distance must be adequate to en- take advantage of their 8. Combination of Warrants sure that motorists will see the light in momentum. The situa- 9. Four Hour Volumes time to stop. Warning signs may need to tion is even more frus- 10. Peak Hour Delay be installed on the approaching roadway. 11. Peak Hour Volume trating to pedestrians, Pedestrian signals may be combined with who often can only walk curb extensions, raised medians and refuges one or two blocks at a for increased pedestrian safety and comfort. time, stopping at nearly every light. In downtowns, signal timing needs to take Install Traffic Signal into account the convenience of bicyclists and Use To: Promote orderly traffic flow at high volumes. pedestrians. For example, the traffic signals Good News: Handles through movements in downtown Portland are timed for well; reduces some types of crashes; provides speeds of 12–16 mph, allowing bicyclists some security for pedestrians. to ride with traffic. Bad News: Must meet warrants; increases Rather than force pedestrians to activate some types of crashes; expensive; usually re- the walk light by pushing a button, down- quires adding storage lanes at intersections; town signals normally include pedestrian delays all users; needs poles. phases in every cycle. There are other de-

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 51 Transitions Colored bike lanes can be used even on higher speed arterials because the actual In many ways, the transition from open roadway width available to motor vehicles highway to downtown is as important as is unchanged. the downtown itself in calming traffic. The Colored shoulders and bike lanes also transition warns motorists that they are help reinforce the separation created by a about to enter a new kind of roadway shoulder or bike lane stripe. The shy where slower speeds are required. Where distance around raised medians or the main street is only a few blocks long, it medians themselves can also be colored may be tempting to maintain the higher to visually narrow the travel lane. travel speed of the open highway, especially since drivers tend to underestimate their speed after encountering a reduced- speed zone (Synthesis of Safety Research Related to Speed and Speed Limits, FHWA-RD-98-154, July 1998). The transition area may be residential or less dense commercial development, and almost always includes sidewalks. Other appropriate transition treatments are roundabout intersections, bike lanes, shoulder treatments, medians, and landscape strips. Another transition element Colored shoulders that can be very effective is a gateway make the treatment, such as a sign, special land- roadway appear scaping, or a piece of art work, located at more narrow. the edge of the core main street. Colored Shoulders Gateway A gateway identifies the beginning or end Colored shoulders are a particularly good of a distinct place. It gives a sense of treatment for gateways and transition See also: welcome and transition, and helps to areas into the downtown. Drivers see only orient people. Gateways are located at the Street Zones in the travel lanes as available road space, so entrance to the core downtown or to Chapter 3 the roadway appears narrower than it is distinct districts. when the shoulders are a different color. Painting the road surface is expensive; lower-cost methods include: • Paving travel lanes with concrete and bike lanes with asphalt, or the re- verse. A banner is a • Slurry-sealing or chip-sealing the common gateway roadway and not the bike lanes. • Incorporating dyes into concrete or element. asphalt.

52 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Although district identification signs, a • When wide enough, a place for a list of local businesses, banners, and other motor vehicle to wait out of the non-traffic signs that welcome visitors to stream of traffic while yielding to a the downtown are helpful in establishing pedestrian in a driveway or alley. identity, a true gateway is a combination • Better absorption of runoff water, de- See also: of architecture, landscaping, fountains, creasing overall drainage requirements. Drainage and other special features that say, “you • A place to store snow removal during have arrived and we welcome you.” the winter. Maintenance • Room to expand the sidewalk when Planting Strip downtown growth creates the need. Travel Lane Width Planting strips are not usually found in the Planting strips need to be at least 5 ft downtown core because the space is used Trees & Landscaping (1.2 m) wide. Planting strips are used by sidewalks and on-street parking. How- where the space is not needed for the ever, where the downtown blends into the sidewalk or on-street parking. surrounding residential areas or where pe- On some main streets with mixed land destrian traffic is not as heavy, tree wells uses, some of which need wide sidewalks and planters can be replaced by planting and some that don’t, a planting strip on se- or landscape strips. lected blocks may work. Where constraints, Sidewalks sepa- such as a building, preclude the use of the rated from the road- same width throughout a block, the plant- way with a planting ing strip can be interrupted and resume strip can create a where the constraint ends. Where there is more pleasant envi- not enough room for a planting strip, tree ronment for pedes- wells and planters can be used. trians. Besides cre- When there is both a planting strip and ating a buffer from on-street parking, consider constructing a the noise and narrow strip of about 16 inches of a hard splash of moving surface (pavers or concrete, for example) vehicles, planting between the curb and planting strip so strips provide: that a person getting out of the car has a • Room for place to step. It is these small details that Large trees and street furniture such as signs, bicycle make the main street a pleasure to visit. planters enhance racks, trash cans, utility and signal poles, mailboxes, parking meters, fire the streetscape hydrants, etc. and announce a • Room for landscaping and shade change in the trees, increasing the appeal of a the Establish Transition Area highway street and pedestrians’ comfort. • A better environment for wheelchair environment. users, as sidewalks may be kept at a Use To: Slow traffic before main street and welcome visitors to downtown. constant grade without dipping at every driveway. Good News: Enhances main street identity • The opportunity to line up sidewalks, and helps calm traffic. curb cuts and crosswalks at intersec- Bad News: Requires a plan for a series of tions. traffic calming measures.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 53 Roundabout

Modern roundabouts are a design alternative to traffic signals or stop signs at arterial intersections. They are particularly effective at slowing traffic into a district such as a downtown. Under the right circumstances, they can improve vehicle flow and overall safety (including for pedestrians), reduce lane requirements, calm traffic speed, and offer an attractive entry point into a downtown. One of the major advantages of roundabouts is the reduced need for travel lanes, as traffic is constantly moving (signals create stop-and-go conditions for A roundabout can provide excellent traffic motor vehicles so that extra travel lanes control at many intersections and may be are needed to handle capacity at intersections). This provides more space for other especially suitable for the gateway to main street. uses such as wide sidewalks and planting strips.

A single-lane “modern” roundabout (as Splitter island contrasted with a multilane, high-speed and crosswalk circle or rotary) usually operates at less Right turn with yield at entry delay than the other intersection alter- Large enough for trucks and buses but atives, up to about 2000 vph. small enough to keep speeds low There is much flexibility inherent in roundabout design. ODOT has criteria for judging the suitability of a roundabout. It is especially important that the roundabout be designed for low speeds and include splitter islands and marked cross- Center island walks. Bicyclists can share circulating lane with Very large vehicles other vehicles can track over outer Install Roundabout ring of circle

Use To: Promote orderly traffic flow at moderate to high volumes; designate gateway.

Good News: Handles turning traffic well; reduces overall crash rate significantly; reduces speed; attractive; reduces need for storage lanes.

Bad News: Can be difficult to fit into existing downtown intersections; vision impaired pedestrians prefer signals.

54 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Travel Lane Removal easier for customers to cross the highway to other businesses. Reducing the number of travel lanes, Removing lanes may result in conges- particularly from 4 to 3 (2 travel lanes tion at key intersections which can often with a center turn lane), is a proven way be remedied by incorporating turn lanes, to decrease speeds, smooth traffic flow, improved signal timing, or roundabouts. and reduce crashes. Up to 18,000 ADT Improving alternate routes and street (average daily traffic) can normally be connectivity may also allow main street to accommodated on 3-lane roads, with undergo a lane reduction. When looking even more in some situations. at a lane reduction, consider access for Motorists on 4-lane highways, often emergency vehicles during congested seeing an empty lane in their direction, periods. tend to drive faster than they should. They Examples of Oregon highway main also seek to match the speed of other streets that have been converted from 4 to drivers, so that the fastest vehicles tend to 3 lanes can be found in Prineville and set prevailing speeds. Baker City. During peak volumes, when more turning movements occur, motorists drive close to one another, preventing motorists behind them from seeing ahead. Last- second lane swapping to get around turning vehicles leads to side-swipe and rear-end crashes. Head-on collisions also occur when left- turning drivers try to turn across both oncoming lanes, only to discover too late that a car in the second lane was tempo- rarily screened from view. Pedestrians and bicyclists have difficulty finding gaps across 4 and 5 lanes, which discourages walking (and transit use) and promotes dangerous wrong-way bicycle riding. Even when a car in one lane stops for crossing pedestrians, cars in the adjacent lane may not stop, which has contributed to many pedestrian fatalities. Converting the street down to 3 and even 2 lanes can correct these problems. Reduce Number of Travel Lanes On main street highway segments, the Use To: Reclaim width for other uses. width formerly used for a travel lane can be used for bike lanes, parking lanes, or Good News: Improves appearance, safety for wider sidewalks. If a center lane is part of all users, and balance. the design, it can be used for pedestrian Bad News: Peak traffic congestion may re- refuge islands. And by narrowing the quire improvements at intersections or on highway in the commercial core, it is other streets.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 55 Travel Lane Width feeling of a street edge, which helps calm traffic. Actual • By bringing buildings closer to the See also: Narrow cross-sections can effectively roadway edge, the highway feels reduce speeds, as most drivers adjust their more constricted. Buildings close Curb Extensions speed to the available lane width. Narrow to the sidewalk also improve the streets also reduce roadway construction pedestrian environment. Transitions and maintenance costs. • Where there are shoulders or bike Trees & Landscaping On main streets, truck use is a big lanes, contrasting colored shoul- consideration. Trucks may be up to 8.5 ft ders create the illusion of a more wide and 48 ft long with a single trailer, narrow travel lane. Relatively low- 75 ft with a double trailer. ODOT stan- cost ways to ac- dards for lane widths are: complish this • 12 ft (3.6 m): Designated freight include paving routes or other highways that carry at travel lanes with least 250 4-axle trucks per day. asphalt and bike • 11 ft (3.3 m): May be used on non- lanes with con- freight routes that carry less than 250 crete, or the re- 4-axle trucks per day at less than 40 verse, and incor- mph (60 km/h). porating dyes On highways, ODOT prefers the full into concrete or width of 12 ft unless there is a specific asphalt. reason to go to a narrower lane. There are • Adding on-street many “exception” conditions that require parking, curb ODOT approval. extensions, and The speed reduction achieved from a medians make narrow lane depends on many factors and the travelway is best measured in the field. Even when it feel constricted has little effect by itself, a narrow lane rein- even when there forces other speed management measures is ample width. by sending a consistent message to drivers. Perceived Reducing lane width can be both real (adding bike lanes Where the 12 ft width is needed but speed and a median) and perceived (planting tall trees). reduction is a goal, techniques that change the perceived width can be explored. Because of the way we see, there are Reduce Travel Lane Width various ways to make drivers believe that the roadway is narrower than it is, which Use To: Slow traffic and reclaim width for may result in people driving more slowly: other uses. • Street trees can transform the appear- Good News: Actual narrowing reduces ance of highways and may comple- crossing distance and supports other mea- ment business uses. The branching sures. Perceived narrowing can slow speeds pattern of appropriate species of somewhat without actually reducing width. street trees will not block driver’s Bad News: Actually reducing width is more views of shops and signs of modest effective but requires Exceptions from ODOT. height. Their canopies can create a

56 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Sidewalk Area Design

Other Ingedients not Shown • Driveways Trees • Maintenance • Street Furniture • Underground Utilities

Wide Sidewalk Curb & Ramp Curb Extension

Main street has many uses besides transportation.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 57 Curb Extension

Also known as ”bulbs, bulb-outs, neckdowns, flares or chokers,” curb extensions shorten pedestrian crossing Every curb distances, improve their visibility to extension is motorists, and widen the sidewalk right unique to fit the where space is most needed for ramps, signal poles, street furniture, and a waiting geometry and area. drainage needs Curb extensions are recommended at all of the site. intersections in downtown where on-street parking is allowed. To work the best, curb extensions are designed to make the crossing width as narrow as possible. Space needs to be provided for existing or planned bike lanes as appropriate. Make sure that the extension is at least as wide as the parking lane so that pedestrians are visible to motorists and not hidden behind cars. Reducing pedestrian crossing distance at signalized intersections improves signal timing if the pedestrian phase controls the signal. The usual speed used for calculat- ing pedestrian crossing time is 4 ft (1.2 m) per second. The time saved is substantial when two corners can be treated with curb extensions. Non-signalized intersections also benefit from curb extensions by increasing the visibility of pedestrians to motorists, as well as reducing the time pedestrians are in a crosswalk. By themselves, curb extensions can be expected to lower vehicle speeds by around 0.5-1 mph. Larger reductions may occur when curb extensions are used with raised medians and textured crosswalks. Curb extensions need to be carefully designed to drain properly, to avoid ice, leaf and road debris buildup, and to allow street sweepers to hug the curb. In areas of regular snowfall, curb extensions need to be marked with signs or other objects visible to plow operators.

58 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS At corners where large vehicles (trucks, buses, emergency vehicles, etc.) are expected to turn frequently, special care must be taken to design the curb extensions to accommodate this movement. As a relatively modern feature, curb extensions need to be designed to compli- ment the historic character of a downtown. If an area is designated or has the potential to be designated as historic by the National Register of Historic Places, consult the State Historic Preservation Office during the planning phase of the project.

Besides shortening crossing distance, the curb extension provides a place for bike racks and other street furniture.

DRAINAGE Poorly handled stormwater runoff and snow melting can pollute streams, undermine the pavement, make crosswalks impassable to A curb extension can help make a pedestrians, and cause cars to swerve around mid-block crosswalk more visible puddles or to spray water onto sidewalks. (note the yellow marker to alert Providing good drainage represents 10% to sweeper and plow operators). 20% of street construction costs. Like traffic systems, drainage systems do not need to be overbuilt by designing for the worst- case scenario. Curb extensions, raised medians, and other traffic calming measures may affect drainage. The design must be sensitive to runoff, Construct Curb Extensions ponding, and ice buildup. For example, catch basins are located on the uphill side of curb Use To: Shorten crossing distance, improve extensions on a grade. A covered channel in the extension may allow water to drain in pedestrian visibility, and slow traffic. some situations. Good News: Effective and improves sidewalk Planting strips and landscaped medians can operation. help absorb stormwater runoff. Curbs, gut- ters, catch basins, and drain grates need to Bad News: Moderately expensive, especially be carefully designed for bicyclists and for when drainage is difficult; may not fit char- ease of maintenance. Refer to the Oregon acter of historic districts. Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 59 Driveways Limiting or closing driveways may be an unpopular idea to landowners who have Many uncontrolled driveways on a busy become accustomed to unlimited access. street increase vehicle conflicts (see figure However, both highway capacity and below), hinder traffic flow, and interrupt safety can be improved. This is usually See also: the sidewalk. They may also decrease op- done by limiting driveway movements portunities for pedestrians to cross the (e.g., right-in/right-out only) or by closing Medians street because gaps in traffic are filled by driveways and shifting property access to motorists entering the road from driveways. shared driveways or side streets. Also, pedestrians seeking refuge in a center Any new access onto a state highway turn lane are unprotected. Finally, exces- must be approved by ODOT, and will Restrict Driveways sively wide driveways allow faster turns need to conform and result in more exposure to pedestrians. with the require- Use To: Improve pedestrian safety and gen- Restricting driveways, one of many ments of the Oregon eral highway operation. access management tools, can be one of Highway Plan. Good News: Effective. the most important improvements for pedestrian and bicycle safety, and for Bad News: Not popular with automobile- general street function. oriented businesses.

Driveway conflicts contribute to unsafe sidewalks and roads.

By eliminating With free access, left turns, the each of the drive- conflicts are re- ways at left above duced signifi- has many poten- cantly. By con- tial conflicts. solidating driveways, conflicts are further reduced.

60 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Maintenance Pedestrians and bicyclists rely on motorists observing the signs and legends that regu- Maintenance can be one of the trickiest late their movements. Examples include issues to address with main street projects. STOP signs, stop bars, lane lines, etc. Communities may resist installing medians Maintenance programs need to: or landscaping because of maintenance • Inspect signs and legends regularly, costs. In most communities, an intergov- including reflectivity at night. ernmental agreement describes who • Replace defective signs quickly. sweeps the street, freshens the paint, and • Retrace legends, crosswalks and removes the snow. Other issues to be other pavement markings in the worked out at the local level are garbage spring; in high-use areas or where pickup, sidewalk maintenance, landscap- studded tires are common, these may ing, and street furniture maintenance and require another paint application in repair. In some communities, the down- the fall. See also: town association shares costs with the city or county and park district. Landscaping Curb Extension Walkways Landscaping requires maintenance to Drainage keep plants in good condition, trim veg- Without regular maintenance, trash and etation and remove debris. Vegetation en- Trees & Landscaping debris collect on sidewalks and concrete croaching into bikeways or walkways is falls apart. Surface deterioration can be both a nuisance and a safety problem. both unpleasant and unsafe. Regular Roots need to be controlled to prevent maintenance protects the community’s in- them from heaving the sidewalk. Ad- vestment in walkways. equate clearances and sight-distances Where people congregate, their beloved need to be maintained at driveways and pets come along. It seems like a little thing, intersections. Pedestrians and bicyclists but a station for dog waste (with a garbage must be visible to approaching motorists, can and free plastic bags) makes main rather than hidden by overgrown shrubs or street more inviting for everyone and in- low-hanging branches, which can also ob- creases peer pressure to clean up after pets. scure signs. Striping Local ordinances can ensure that vegetation on private property is regularly Signs and pavement markings are easy to maintained. Some jurisdictions require ad- see when they are new. Over time, signs jacent land owners to control vegetation, may fall into disrepair and markings may or else maintenance personnel perform become hard to see, especially at night. It the work and bill the property owner. is important to keep The key to quality landscaping is in Increase Maintenance Operations the lane lines vis- choosing the appropriate materials and ible, especially if Use To: Improve main street environment and maintenance. Property owners must par- there is a bike lane. safety. ticipate in both aspects. What drives the Signs and pave- success is the shared social expectation Good News: Shows pride and a healthy ment markings need that taking care of the streetscape is the street. to be kept in a read- responsible thing to do. And it shows that Bad News: Requires on-going commitment able condition, es- the property owner cares about the com- and funding. pecially those di- munity. rected at motorists.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 61 Sidewalks

The preferred sidewalk width in a downtown is 12 ft (3.6 m), at least 6 ft of which must be clear of obstructions. This width allows pairs of pedestrians to walk side by side, or to pass each other comfortably. It generally provides enough width for window shopping, some street furniture, and places for people to stop. More width is desirable to accommodate bus shelters, sidewalk cafés, and other outdoor retail. Ample sidewalk width is needed for Where it can be justified and all other measures have been examined (such as a variety of activities. narrowing or eliminating medians, bike lanes, parking lanes, or travel lanes), the sidewalk width can be reduced to as 8-ft sidewalk barely al- narrow as 8 ft (2.4 m). In general, how- lows 2-way pedestrian ever, the rule is: the wider the sidewalk, and a 3-ft street furni- the more pleasant the pedestrian experi- ture area. ence.

SIDEWALK WIDTHS

Each sidewalk activity takes up at least this 10-ft sidewalk gives much width: more breathing room. 8 ft Transit shelter or ADA platform 5 ft Transit stop with bench 5 ft 2-way pedestrian traffic 5 ft Wheelchair turning area 5 ft Planting strip (3 ft minimum) 12-ft sidewalk adds 5 ft Outdoor dining tables opportunities for out- 3 ft Bench door dining, displays, 3 ft Window shopping planters, and win- 2 ft Miscellaneous street furniture dow shopping. 2 ft Shy distance form walls, poles, etc.

Construct Wide Sidewalks 15-ft sidewalk adds Use To: Improve pedestrian environment. room for a transit Good News: Creates essential public space shelter and high lev- for many activities. els of pedestrian activity. Bad News: Requires width wanted by other uses.

62 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Street Furniture Transit Shelter Where a bus pullout is needed at an Seating intersection, a far-side location is pre- We all need to rest, especially as we get ferred. This avoids conflicts between older, and to sit while we talk, eat lunch, passengers boarding or exiting a bus and or simply reflect on the day. Every block of pedestrians and bicyclists moving through a main street needs places to sit, such as the area. A curb extension helps pedestri- benches, low walls, planter edges, or wide ans cross the road, prevents motorists from steps. Sidewalk entering the bus pullout area, and reduces seating at cafes conflicts with bicyclists. may also be On streets with parking, near-side bus encouraged, and stops also benefit from curb extensions, seating can allowing passengers to board or dismount provide a variety the bus directly without stepping onto the of views—some street. This also makes it easier to meet prefer to watch disability requirements (the bus pulls up people, others to right next to the curb), provides more look at the waiting area for passengers, does not use storefronts. as many parking spaces as a pull-in, and is quicker and more convenient for the bus. Lighting Many pedestrian crossings are not well lit, making them less safe. Providing illumination or improving existing lighting can increase nighttime safety at many locations, especially at mid-block crossings, which are often not expected by motorists. Lighting for sidewalks needs to be lower, pedestrian scale, and more closely spaced than conventional “cobra head” street lights. Special light standards can help identify the downtown. Sun and Shade Most transit users will have to cross the An awning on the As architect and philosopher Buckminster road to access a transit stop on one leg of building facade pro- Fuller said, civilization with its technology their trip. Cooperation between public tects the pedestrian and tools is simply a way of modulating transit agencies and transportation design- from sun and rain, and tuning the elements—earth, air, fire, ers is essential to ensure safe pedestrian helps give definition and water. A welcoming main street crossings. to the sidewalk area, shields pedestrians from the heat with Transit stops have special design re- and makes window trees and from the wind and rain with quirements to accommodate large buses shopping more pleas- awnings. Benches and gathering places and the disabled without blocking the ant. need to be carefully designed and placed sidewalk. Refer to guidelines from your to catch the sun when the days are cold transit provider or ODOT’s Transit Manual. and block it when the days are hot.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 63 Rest Rooms

Public toilets need to be a high priority for a friendly downtown. Restrooms need to be open during the hours that the street is used, and signed for easy identification.

Cleanliness Bicycle Parking

Trash receptacles (garbage bins) are Bicycle racks are important to essential for a clean street because they encourage cyclists and to reduce silently remind people that the place for pedestrian obstacles caused by trash is in the bin not on the sidewalk. cyclists chaining their bikes to Make sure that trash pickup is frequent other objects. enough so that garbage doesn’t over- flow.

Phones Public phones, properly sheltered from the noise and elements, are both a convenience and a safety measure.

Miscellaneous Street Furniture

There are many other kinds of street furniture, including drinking fountains, news- paper racks, clocks, kiosks, recycling bins, tree grates, public art, and advertising boards. These elements add flavor to the Install Street Furniture downtown, make the walk more interesting, and increase social activity. Use To: Support public activities and improve If not well managed, street furniture will pedestrian comfort. clutter the sidewalk and become a nui- Good News: Helps bring life to main street. sance. Make sure there is at least a 5-ft clear space on the sidewalk (more in high Bad News: Requires sufficiently wide side- use areas) and that the community will walks, initial investment, and on-going maintenance. commit to maintain and clean the furniture.

64 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Trees & Landscaping Even parking lots can be made more pleasant with trees and hedges to soften Trees do much more than add an attrac- the edges and break up the large expanse tive canopy over the street. They create of empty space. Most parking lots have comfortable spaces, soften the lighting, leftover spaces where cars can’t fit but a cool in the summer, block wind in the tree could. winter, and absorb pollutants. They also When reconstructing a street or building, give the main street a distinctive identity it is usually worth a great deal of effort to and provide seasonal interest. save existing trees. If time is money, then See also: Quality landscaping that is close to the older trees are very valuable. A 4-inch di- highway or on medians can increase the ameter tree can be planted for $300, in- Maintenance driver’s awareness of the immediate envi- cluding maintenance for the first 5 years ronment and alter behavior, resulting in when it is most vulnerable. But at the end Planting Strip slower speeds and a safer street. Although of 5 years that tree can add a $1,000 or a row of trees doesn’t actually impede more to the property value. Trees last a drivers, it does have a pronounced psy- long time and some are not considered chological effect by making the road ap- mature until they are over 50 years old. pear narrower and by inviting the driver to Street trees in a downtown area offer an linger. ideal transition between building architecture and the street. When mature, street trees should create a canopy over the sidewalk and adjacent parking area. Tree wells ideally measure at least 4 ft by 4 ft and are surrounded by 4 ft of dry- set pavers or similar tree grate, although smaller wells can work if space is constrained. This provides necessary root aeration and potential for surface water collection. Tree species need to be chosen for the climate. Trees that don’t tend to Large trees and heave the sidewalk are preferred, and root planters enhance the barriers may be installed to prevent this sidewalk area. from happening. Protect trees from damage by car doors by setting them back at least 4 ft from the roadway or spacing them between parking stalls. Space trees so that mature tree canopy diameters grow within 10 ft of one another to improve shade and better reduce speeds; typical spacing should be from 25 to 50 ft. Tree locations need to be evalu- Small trees and ated on a site-by-site basis to ensure that sparse landscaping clear vehicle sight lines are not compro- are less effective. mised. Building accessways must not be

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 65 blocked and visual sight lines into building store fronts need to be considered. Different species of trees heighten seasonal color interest, accent various streetscapes or features, and complement the building architecture. Cities can gain the economies of scale by planting blocks at a time. One tree in Large trees and front of one building is fine but the real quality landscaping impact is when an add value to entire street is trans- adjacent property, formed. buffer the sidewalk area from traffic, and help reduce speeds.

“Given a limited budget, the most effective expenditure of funds to improve a street would probably be on trees.” –Planner Allan B. Jacobs

Plant Trees & Landscaping

Use To: Improve main street environment.

Good News: Attractive, can be used on any type of highway, and helps reduce traffic speed.

Bad News: Requires sufficiently wide sidewalks, initial investment, and on-going maintenance.

66 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Utilities

Utilities need to be placed well out of the pedestrian area of the sidewalk. Moving utilities underground removes the clutter of poles and wires that accumulate over time from many separate projects and take up valuable space. For example, the space is often needed to meet disability access needs. The design of sidewalks, planting strips, medians, and other street elements must Utility lines can be buried under a allow for service access to underground utilities. The potential damage that tree paver strip, freeing up the sidewalk roots can cause may require root barriers for other uses. or other measures. Where putting utilities underground is not feasible, it may be possible to consoli- date them on fewer poles or move them to alleys.

This sidewalk was compromised with poles in the pedestrian path. The signal controller box is a hazard, especially to those with impaired vision.

Put Utilities Underground

Utility lines can be moved to alleys Use To: Free up sidewalk space and improve overall appearance. where the clutter is not so obvious. Good News: Attractive and can be done on any type of highway.

Bad News: Expensive.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 67 Building Area: Design and Land Use

his handbook focuses on the parts of visually interesting buildings (see Building T main street that are in the public right- Façade below.) of-way: the sidewalk and roadway areas. If there is any space between the build- See also: However, building design and appropriate ing front and the sidewalk, a well de- land use zoning are critical to the success signed pedestrian-oriented space will Human Scale and Street Zones in of a main street. After all, the stores, ser- include a clearly marked walkway, Chapter 3 vices, residences, and other uses are the plantings, seating, or other features that heart and soul of main street. extend the public space to the building. Without the framework of attractive As discussed below, under Off-Street buildings and a mix of uses, even the best Parking, it is almost always a detriment in street and sidewalk design will not be suc- downtown areas to locate parking off- cessful in supporting a lively and economi- street between the building front and the cally viable main street. Building design street. Setting buildings back or allowing includes architectural elements that have to parking between the building entrance do with aesthetics and historical appropri- and sidewalk creates empty space down- ateness, which will be specific to each town. A gap between buildings, such as a community, as well as basic building prin- parking lot, creates a “no man’s land” with cipals such as proper orientation to the little visual interest. street. Building Setbacks and Orientation In many zoning districts, both commercial and residential, buildings are intentionally setback from the street. However, good downtown buildings, with few exceptions, face the street and are located at the property line. In other words, there is little space between the front of the building Building Façade— and the sidewalk. The front entrance faces Avoiding the main street and is usually emphasized Good downtown buildings: by the building’s architecture. Blank Walls • Face the main street. Windows and entrances right along the Visually interesting sidewalk are critical elements for a com- • Are located at the front property line. buildings are critical fortable pedestrian environment. A con- to downtown. Blank • Have street-level entrances. tinuous row of buildings with windows walls are boring and • Provide a sense of enclosure and propor- and entrances along the street creates an unfriendly. Windows tion to the street. interesting and secure walking environ- are the best treat- • Include windows and display cases that ment. People will often walk longer ment, especially for invite window-shopping (no blank distances if their route takes them along building fronts, since façades).

68 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS they enhance security with “eyes on the feeling of the downtown. Architects agree street” and encourage window-shopping. that the best building height to street ratio Also appropriate are displays, secondary is around 1:2 to 1:3. This provides a entries, balconies, color, texture, and pleasant sense of enclosure to the street. If landscaping. the main street is the community’s living If side or back walls are visible to room, as it is sometimes described, then passing pedestrians and motorists, the the buildings are the walls. However, addition of windows, displays, murals, building height is less effective at creating and secondary entrances create a more a sense of space when the building front is welcoming face to prospective customers. not located at the property line. In such Where security is a concern, such as on cases, a row of large trees can help en- walls facing an alley, the façade can be close the street. enhanced with false windows and other Even if all the buildings on your main architectural features. It is particularly street do not already include taller build- important for corner buildings to provide ings, revisions to local zoning and devel- windows on the side street walls, since the opment codes can encourage new build- side streets are often where people park. ings to add to the community’s vision for main street. Building Height Off-Street Parking The historic image of main street includes See also: buildings that are two to three stories tall, A discussion of building orientation forming an unbroken wall of buildings usually brings up the issue of off-street On-Street Parking along the block. Often the upper stories of parking, since businesses tend to orient in this Chapter these buildings include offices or living themselves to their parking areas. In under Roadway Area Design space above the retail on the ground floor, general, it is poor main street design to a mix of uses that adds to the vitality of have off-street parking between the store main street (see Mix of Uses below.) and the street. Even with side or rear off- As discussed in Chapter 3, building street parking, a good downtown building heights have a strong influence on the has its main orientation to the street, not the parking area. If off-street parking is provided at the LaGrande, Oregon exhibits good building design. sides of the building, landscaping and street furniture can improve the lot’s appearance from the street. Very visible pedestrian connections between the parking area and the street need to be provided. In downtown areas, businesses can develop shared parking agreements, rather than parking lots that are exclusive to one building. Often, parking management, (e.g., better enforcement of on street parking limits and development of shared parking agreements) can limit the need for paving of additional parking lots (see On-Street Parking under Roadway Area Design).

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 69 Mix of Uses

Beyond the attractive building fronts, it’s This McMinnville the land uses that really determine the viability of main street. Two essential building contains ingredients for a downtown are variety both retail and (mix of uses) and activity. housing, adding The most successful downtowns allow vitality to main and encourage a rich mix of land uses: shops, restaurants, offices, public build- street. ings (post office, library, city hall), entertainment, residences, public spaces (parks and plazas), and even some light industry. Many downtown districts on main street are located just a few blocks from residential neighborhoods. In Baker City, the tremendously successful downtown revitalization has been supported by the proximity to well established neighborhoods. People value their ability to walk to the post office, the pharmacy and the local café for a visit with neighbors. Other Public Spaces, Plazas, downtown areas have encouraged mixed use (retail and housing) in the same and Activity Centers building. Such “vertical mixed use” adds a Empty lots and barren parking round-the-clock vitality to main street. lots on the main street create Things pedestrians like: However, there are some land uses that a gap that is unpleasant to Storefronts are usually inappropriate for a downtown. pedestrians and uninteresting Porches These include drive-through businesses, to motorists. As Seattle Walls with windows heavy industry and other uses that need developer David Sucher puts numerous freight deliveries, warehouses, it: “Blankness seems to be an Landscaped yards and “big box” styled businesses that innate human horror.” Things pedestrians don’t like: require large parking lots. Empty lots provide many Garage doors Both design and land use can be opportunities to improve the Blank walls strongly influenced by code and ordi- street: nance. Many cities have a downtown • Building in-fill (move Open parking lots zone where certain land uses are not some parking on-street). Unbuffered parking structures allowed, as well as downtown architec- • Outdoor dining. Under-building parking tural standards that encourage appropriate • Pocket park, garden, or building location and design. interactive fountain. Open service areas • Skateboard park or playground to bring children to downtown. • Pedestrian shortcut (it’s probably used for that anyway).

70 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS • Public restroom. • Staging area for exhibits and Saturday markets. For example, a vacant lot in downtown Pendleton has been redeveloped into a small park. The park includes an attractive historical mural, appropriately rustic western furniture for shade and picnics, as well as play equipment that invites young- sters. Downtowns that have experienced a People of all ages love water. period of decline often have larger, vacant buildings that Kent Robertson calls “white elephants.” As he recently wrote: “The symbolic effect of [the vacant building] can be overwhelming, as it destroys any semblance of vital street life in the immediate area.” (APA Journal, Summer 1999). Sometimes these buildings can be redeveloped into a number of small offices and shops, without destroying the historical integrity and identity of the structure. For example, in downtown Bend, the J.C. Penney’s went out of business in the early 1980s. However, the large and historic building was successfully recre- A small park is a good use for an ated during the downtown’s redevelop- undeveloped lot ment into street level shops and upstairs offices. In spite of housing some 20 different businesses, the structure is still known to locals as “the old Penney’s building.” The kind of attention to historical appropriateness demonstrated by these two examples is essential to main street success. When vacant lots or buildings are redeveloped, they need to maintain context with the existing character of the downtown.

An active downtown needs public restrooms.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 71 Other Ingredients

Enforcement Non-Highway Designs ost of the measures described in this to Support Main Street handbook influence traffic through M There are several designs commonly used physical means, such as raised medians and on minor streets and driveways that, landscaping, and are largely self-enforcing. although they are generally inappropriate Design, however, is not a substitute for on highways, can be part of an overall enforcement of traffic laws. For example, strategy to improve the surrounding street many drivers do not know that crosswalks network that supports main street. exist at unmarked intersections and that Speed humps, raised crosswalks, and they violate the law by not yielding to pe- raised intersections allow vehicles to destrians at these locations. travel at 30 mph (50 km/h) or less with Lack of enforcement also leads to lax behavior. For example, if there is no pen- minimal discomfort, but driving over the alty for parking on a sidewalk, then hump at higher speeds will rock the people will begin to consider that behav- vehicle. They can be used in a pedestrian ior acceptable. area in combination with textured and Other measures that attempt to regulate colored pavement so that crosswalks are behavior, such as speed zones and cross- more visible and motorists learn to expect walks, require at least some enforcement pedestrians. Avoid these designs on to achieve their goals. There is often the designated emergency response routes need for intense initial enforcement fol- and where the grade exceeds about 8%. lowed by ongoing efforts when compli- Extending the concrete sidewalk across ance inevitably declines. the intersection—in effect, treating the Enforcement can be costly, and it is al- street as if it were a driveway—can be an most never possible to provide at all re- effective way to slow traffic and draw quired times. Consequently, measures attention to the sidewalk. The sidewalk which rely primarily on enforcement are can be kept at grade or dropped, just like not as effective as self-enforcing designs. at driveways, but is more effective if it is New techniques such as photo-radar and designed like a raised crosswalk. Sidewalk cameras at signals have shown promise as extensions are standard on alleys but can deterrents, but these approaches work best also be used where local streets meet to reinforce good road design, not as the main street. x primary solution to enforcement problems.

Enforce the Traffic Laws Expand Efforts to Side Streets

Use To: Support improvements on main Use To: Make people more aware of the laws street. and persuade them to comply. Good News: More things can be done on Good News: Gets people attention. off-highway streets. Bad News: Expensive and on-going effort. Bad News: Local funding usually needed.

72 Chapter 4: INGREDIENTS Chapter 5 Paying for It

Paying for It Local Revenue Sources ... 74 Grants & Loans ...... 76

e know that we want a downtown that is safe, beautiful, W economically vibrant, and an object of pride for the whole community. We’ve discussed how to define our short- See also: comings, and a variety of design and Agency contacts planning solutions to make the highway are listed in the into the main street of our vision. Now, Appendix under how do we pay for it? Resources. Many cities throughout the world, TERMS United States, and Northwest have gone BID: Business Improvement District through this same process. Funds are EID: Economic Improvement District always limited, and projects compete with LID: Local Improvement District ODF: Oregon Department of Forestry each other. With good planning, a long- OECDD: Oregon Economic and Community term vision, strong community and agency Development Department support, and a willingness to share costs, OTIB: Oregon Transportation Infrastructure Bank many fine projects can get built. SCA: Special Small City Allotment Often, the key funding source is the SDC: System Development Charge creativity and inventiveness of the com- SPWF: Special Public Works Fund STA: Special Transportation Area munity itself. For example, some commu- STF: Special Transportation Fund nities recognize the importance of pedes- STIP: State Transportation Improvement Program trians to the main street’s health and set SUPI: Small-Scale Urban Highway Pedestrian aside a percentage of the room tax for Improvement TEA-21: Transportation Enhancement Act for the sidewalk improvements. 21st Century These investments pay for themselves TGM: Transportation/Growth Management many times over in improved access, TIF: Tax Increment Financing personal mobility, social vitality, and TSP: Transportation System Plan economic strength for the downtown. This Also refer to the Glossary in the Appendix. chapter describes some ways to fund main street projects on highways.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 73 Local Revenue Sources

Property Taxes System Development

roperty taxes are typically the primary Charges revenue source for local governments P System Development Charges (SDCs) are to upgrade public infrastructure. However, becoming an increasingly popular way to property taxes go into general fund opera- fund public works infrastructure needed tions and are not used in most Oregon for new development. The objective of cities for street improvements or mainte- SDCs is to allocate portions of the costs nance (these are more typically funded associated with capital improvements to out of gas taxes, discussed below). Depen- the developments that will increase dence on property taxes has changed with demand on transportation, sewer, or other the passage of several ballot initiatives public systems. Although SDCs have during the 1990s. In general, these mea- proven an effective tool in funding items sures limit property tax rates for purposes like road widening or intersection up- other than payment of certain voter- grades triggered by the increases in traffic approved general obligation indebtedness. linked to a certain new development, they Gas Tax Revenues are not usually used to make general infrastructure improvements. In Oregon, the state collects gas taxes, vehicle registration fees, overweight and Local Improvement overheight fines, and truck taxes and Districts returns a portion of the revenues to cities and counties. Oregon cities typically use Oregon Statutes allow the creation of their state gas tax allocation to fund street several different kinds of local funding construction and maintenance. However, districts to finance different kinds of these funds can be used to make any improvements to main streets. Some of transportation-related improvements only these districts can fund capital improve- within the public right-of-way, including ment projects like sidewalk enhance- sidewalks, intersection upgrades for ments, while others support smaller pedestrians, and bicycle lanes. projects and program activities. State statute (ORS 366.514) requires that The following is a brief description of if there is a need for walkways or bike- specific district types and what kinds of ways, then the governing jurisdiction shall improvement they can fund. Each of these expend a reasonable amount of the gas mechanisms is limited to a specific area or tax revenues to construct the needed district where the taxpayers are the pri- facilities. The statute also requires that mary beneficiaries of the improvements. sidewalks be built when new streets are Each process must be improved by the constructed or existing streets are recon- community’s City Council. structed.

74 Chapter 5: PAYING FOR IT A Local Improvement District (LID) is a An Economic Improvement District funding mechanism for local capital (EID) is a funding mechanism where the improvements such as sidewalks, streets, assessments are based on property assess- or bikeways. The assessment formula for ment values or are a simple fee on prop- an LID can be based on the linear front- erty. EIDs cannot fund capital improve- age of property, trip generation, or other ment projects, but they generally fund similar criteria. Individual property owners smaller projects and programs that can typically have the option of paying the complement larger downtown improve- assessment in cash or applying for assessments. EIDs are limited to a five-year ment financing through the city. duration and can be renewed. An Urban Renewal District is funded by A Business Improvement District (BID) Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Within an works much the same as an EID, except Urban Renewal District boundary, prop- that the assessments are paid by business erty taxes are collected at a rate that is owners rather than property owners. BIDs frozen at the time of creation. Increases in cannot pay for capital improvements, but the property taxes create the increment may fund smaller projects and programs financing and are earmarked for special that support other downtown improve- capital improvement projects within the ments. A BID can have a time limit, or can district. Urban Renewal Districts are long be perpetual. term, typically lasting from 20–30 years.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 75 Grants & Loans

here are a variety of State and Federal 1. Implementing the Transportation Pan- Tgrant and loan programs available, ning Rule by preparing Transportation most with specific requirements relating to System Plans and developing ordi- economic development or specific transpor- nances and appropriate street design tation issues. Most programs require a standards. match from the local jurisdiction as a condi- 2. Planning for land use and transportation of approval. Grant and loan programs tion alternatives such as downtown cannot be considered a secure long-term redevelopment planning and designa- funding source because they are highly tion of Special Transportation Areas. competitive and subject to change. 3. Coordinating and implementing urban Most of the programs available for trans- growth management strategies includ- portation projects are funded and admin- ing development of intergovernmental istered through ODOT or the Oregon Eco- agreements and special area plans. nomic and Community Development De- TGM staff are available to assist local partment (OECDD). Some programs communities with design and implemen- which may be appropriate for main street tation of projects as requested. projects are described below. Quick Response Teams: Specialists in planning and urban design are under con- Transportation/Growth tract to provide rapid response on devel- Management Program opment proposals. This service is available to developers and communities that The Transportation and Growth Manage- are confronting urban design, development Program (TGM) promotes urban ment and regulatory problems. planning and design that results in com- “Smart Development” Code Assistance: pact development and pedestrian, bicycle, In an effort to remove and transit-friendly options for local com- regulatory obstacles to Smart Development: munities. smart development, TGM • Provides a mix of uses. Initiated in 1993, TGM is a joint effort of staff and consultants help two state agencies: the Oregon Depart- local governments with • Uses land resources efficiently. ment of Transportation and the Depart- planning workshops and • Fully utilizes urban services. ment of Land Conservation and Develop- development code lan- • Provides transportation options. ment. TGM supports local governments in guage. A model small cit- • Uses detailed, human-scale design. their efforts to manage growth and pro- ies development code and vides a variety of grants and technical as- model infill/redevelop- sistance programs. Program services are ment handbook are also available. provided in the following four areas. Outreach and Education: TGM provides Grants to Local Governments: Each bi- ongoing outreach to local communities in ennium, approximately $6.7 million is al- order to promote the concepts of smart located by the legislature for grants to lo- development. Workshops for neighbor- cal governments. Grant assistance is avail- hood groups, planning commissioners able in three categories: and members of the business community

76 Chapter 5: PAYING FOR IT are available throughout the state. Publi- Projects on highways that cost more than cations, such as this Main Street Hand- $100,000, require right-of-way, or have book, and videos are available free of environmental impacts need to be submit- charge to Oregon residents. ted to ODOT for inclusion in the STIP. State Bicycle and Special Transportation Pedestrian Grants Fund

ODOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program The Special Transportation Fund (STF) administers two grant programs to assist in Program maintains, develops, and im- the development of walking and bicycling proves transportation services for people improvements: local grants and Small-Scale with disabilities and people over 60 years Urban Highway Pedestrian Improvement of age. Financed by a two-cent tax on (SUPI) programs. For both these grants, cit- each pack of cigarettes sold in the state, ies that have adopted plans with identified the annual distribution of this fund is projects will be in the best position. approximately $5 million. Three-quarters Cities and counties can apply for local of these funds are distributed to mass grants for bicycle and pedestrian projects transit and transportation districts. Where within the right-of-way of local streets. Lo- such districts do not exist, counties re- cal Grants up to $100,000 are shared 80% ceive funds on a per-capita basis. The State/20% local. Projects that consider the remaining funds are distributed on a needs of children, elderly, disabled, and discretionary basis. The STF is managed by transit users are given special consider- ODOT. ation. There must be support for the project from local elected officials. Appli- Special Small City cations for the Local Grant program are Allotment Program mailed out to all Oregon jurisdictions every other year. The Special Small City Allotment (SCA) In the SUPI process, cities and counties Program is restricted to cities with popula- help ODOT identify sections of urban tions under 5,000. Unlike some other highways where improvements are grant programs, no locally funded match needed. Examples of eligible projects in- is required for participation. Grant clude: amounts are limited to $25,000 and must • completing short missing sections of be earmarked for surface projects (drain- sidewalks, age, curbs, sidewalks, etc.). • ADA upgrades The program allows jurisdictions to use • crossing improvements (e.g., curb ex- the grants to leverage local funds on non- tensions, refuges, crosswalks), and surface projects if the grant is used specifi- • intersection improvements (e.g., is- cally to repair the affected area. Criteria lands and realignment). for the $1 million in total annual grant SUPI projects are located on highways funds include traffic volume, the 5-year that have no modernization projects rate of population growth, surface wear of scheduled for the foreseeable future. the road, and the time since the last SCA Projects that have a local funding match grant. The SCA is managed by ODOT. are typically viewed the most favorably because this indicates strong local support.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 77 Immediate Opportunity Oregon Transportation Grant Program Infrastructure Bank

The Oregon Economic and Community The Oregon Transportation Infrastructure Development Department (OECDD) and Bank (OITB) is a project financing tool for ODOT administer a program designed to Oregon communities to help meet need assist local and regional economic devel- for transportation system maintenance and opment. The primary factors in determin- improvements. As a project financing tool, ing eligible projects for the Immediate the OITB works much like a private bank. Opportunity Fund Program are improve- It provides project loans and a range of ment of public roads, inclusion of an credit enhancement services to help fi- economic development-related project of nance eligible transportation projects. Eli- regional significance, creation or retention gible projects are projects that meet fed- of primary employment, and ability to eral-aid highway criteria or meet the defi- provide local funds (50/50) to match nition of a transit capital project. grant. The maximum amount of any grant Eligible agencies are cities, counties, under the program is $500,000. port districts, other special districts, state Oregon Special Public agencies, tribal governments, and private entities. The benefits include faster project Works Fund completion, savings on maintenance costs by replacing worn facilities sooner, ad- The Special Public Works Fund (SPWF), vancing high-priority TEA-21 federal funds through OECDD, distributes grant and to eliminate the 4–6 year waiting period loan assistance from the Oregon Lottery for grants, and advancing other projects for economic development projects in that have future sources of funding identi- communities throughout the state. To be fied. Proposed projects must meet the awarded funds, a project must support OTIB selection criteria, including the businesses wishing to locate, expand, or ability to repay the loan. The OTIB has remain in Oregon. SPWF awards can be approved loans varying in size from used for improvement, expansion, and $170,000 to $5 million. new construction of transportation facili- An application for an OTIB loan is re- ties. The SPWF emphasizes loans to assure viewed, scored, and ranked by ODOT, and that funds will return to the state over time then presented to the Oregon Transportation for reinvestment in other local economic Commission, which approves or denies the development projects. loan. For approved applications, ODOT and the applicant enter into an interagency and loan agreements to close the loan. Loan terms vary from 2 to 10 years.

78 Chapter 5: PAYING FOR IT The Oregon Livability administered by the Oregon Housing and st Community Services Department. Flexible Initiative: The 21 Cen- grants and loans will provide local gov- tury Community Fund ernments and developers with state funds to help revitalize downtowns and commu- The Oregon Livability Initiative was nity centers and put affordable housing created by Governor Kitzhaber to encour- close to jobs. age job creation in rural Oregon through investments in housing, transportation, Urban Forestry Grants water, and sewer. The initiative seeks to The Oregon Department of Forestry’s revitalize downtowns and main streets, (ODF) Urban and Community Forestry reduce sprawl and traffic congestion, Unit supports the stewardship of Oregon’s reward development of affordable hous- urban and community forests. Part of the ing, and rebuild rural and distressed program’s goal is to foster public aware- economies. ness of the contributions urban forests The Oregon Livability Initiative includes make to the quality of life and the envi- the 21st Century Community Fund, which ronmental and economic well-being of leverages existing revenues from both the Oregon cities. Oregon Lottery and transportation funds to Through the Urban Forestry activities, invest in affordable housing, transporta- on-site technical and financial assistance tion, water, sewer and main streets. This is available for communities, nonprofit fund specifically targets rural and eco- groups, and civic organizations who want nomically distressed communities, provid- to plant and properly maintain trees ing funding for passenger rail and con- within their urban areas, especially street necting buses, elderly and disable transit trees. Written information on tree protec- services, access and right-of-way pur- tion ordinances, inventories, tree care, chases, and improvements to the local planting, tree selection, and urban forest street network. management are also available. Contact The 21st Community Fund has been allo- the ODF for more information on the cated as follows for the 1999-2001 bien- Urban Forestry Program. nium for transportation-related project: • Passenger Rail & Connecting Buses, $10 million state general fund. • Elderly & Disabled Transit Service, $9 million state general fund and $10 million federal funds (TEA-21), lever- aging $6-10 million of DHR funds. • Access/Right of Way Purchases,$20 million revenue bonds (highway fund). • Local Street Networks, $30 million revenue bonds (highway fund). The fund will be managed by OECDD. The Oregon Livability Initiative also includes $25 million in revenue bonds to create a “Community Incentive Fund”

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 79 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)

Several elements of TEA-21 can benefit main streets. The Enhancement Program provides federal highway funds for projects that strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, or environmental value of the transportation system. The funds are available for transportation enhancement activities specifically identified in TEA-21. Enhancement funds are available only for special or additional activities not normally required on a highway or transportation project. They cannot be used for routine or customary elements of construction and maintenance, or for required mitigation. This federally-funded program earmarks $8 million annually for projects in Or- egon. Projects must demonstrate a link to the intermodal transportation system, compatibility with approved plans, and local financial support. A 10.27% local match is required. Each proposed project is evaluated against all other proposed projects in its region. Other elements of TEA-21 that could potentially be used for main street projects include the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Improvement Program (funding for air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas, such as intersection and signal projects that improve traffic flow), and the Transit Enhancement Program which reserves a portion of public-transit funding for improvements such as pedestrian and bicycle access to transit. In Oregon, TEA-21 funds are managed by ODOT. x

80 Chapter 5: PAYING FOR IT Chapter 6 Examples

Examples Heppner (2-Lane Regional Highway) . 82 Newberg (Couplet—Statewide Highway) ...... 84 Sisters (2-Lane Statewide Highway) .... 87 Scenario 1: Traditional Downtown with Constrained Right-of-Way ...... 89 Scenario 2: Couplet with Heavy Through Traffic ...... 91 Scenario 3: 5-Lane Highway ...... 93

hree projects in Oregon were ex- tourist destination. Speeds are low most of amined for the handbook. These the time, but congestion is high on holi- Tprojects—Heppner, Newberg and day weekends and when there is a special Sisters—covered a range of issues and re- event. Parking is on-str eet but limited. The sponses. The case studies are summarized downtown is generally healthy, but the in this chapter. community is worried that tr affic speeds Also, three hypothetical scenarios were are compromising its livability. added to help you envision how to apply The second scenario shows a couplet on the contents of this handbook to an actual a highway of state wide importance street. The representations ar e fictional but through a smaller to wn. Many large trucks give many aspects of t ypical situations pass through to wn every day. Because the found throughout Or egon. For compari- couplet was created by rerouting existing son, we’ve chosen examples that show a two-way streets, the right-of- way is ample. range of existing conditions from a narro w However, there are many driveways, traditional downtown to a more ample building density is low, and traffic speeds couplet created from t wo-way streets. Your typically exceed the posted limit of 25 main street, of course, will be unique. mph. There are vacant stor efronts and fe w The first scenario shows a traditional buildings of historic al interest. The com- downtown located on a highway. It is an munity would like to make its main str eet old street, with limited right-of- way and a a more attr active, vibrant place. number of historic buildings. It is also an The third scenario shows a 5-lane important r egional travel route, with a fair highway in a downtown area that is number of trucks. The town itself is a mainly strip development.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 81 Case Study 1 Heppner, Oregon Pop. 1,500

Highway Heppner Highway (Main Street in Heppner), OR-74 and OR-207 (junction in town) Classification Regional Highway (OR-207), District Highway (OR-74) Lanes 2 lanes Length 0.5 mi Width Unknown; 12-ft sidewalks. Traffic Volume 1997 ADT • 5,200 north of OR 206/207 junction (downtown) • 6,000 peak in October • 9% trucks (3+ axles) Speed 25 mph Parking On-street angled parking. Adjacent Development Downtown core with stores, offices and apartments. Intersections The project included 7 intersections. There were no signals. Issues The highway was due for major maintenance: the pavement was in poor condition, the Main St. crown height was excessive from many overlays, drainage had failed, and the sidewalks were deteriorated. The City had developed a downtown strategic plan in 1991 which called for improvements to the sidewalks, landscaping, lighting, and general downtown appearance intended to retain a 50’s feel. Even with the existing 12-foot sidewalks, the wide right-of- way made crossing the street difficult and curb extensions were considered. At the same time as the street was being improved, an apartment building on Main Street was being renovated into senior housing. When the highway was scheduled for reconstruction in 1997, the City pushed to have other improvements done at the same time. Actions Taken The City and ODOT, aggressively working together, pursued funding for the elements of the downtown improvements. ODOT did the roadway as part of scheduled modernization. The sidewalks including new curb extensions, pavers and irrigation were financed by enhancement funds. Trees came from an urban forestry grant. Individuals donated landscaping and benches, some of which were made by high school students. The electric company moved poles and wires underground. The street was resurfaced one lane at a time so that traffic could get through.

82 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Key Design Features Complete makeover of the street in 1997, including: ✔ Pavement resurfaced. ✔ Angled parking retained. ✔ Central intersection constructed of concrete with inlaid and painted city logo. ✔ Sidewalks reconstructed with curb extensions. ✔ Utilities put underground (under paver strips). ✔ Irrigation (including water meters) and landscaping added. ✔ Lighting and street furniture added. ✔ A kiosk and small park were also added as part of another project. Cost • Reconstruct 0.5 mi of street: $1,292,000 • Replace 0.4 mi of sidewalks: $136,000 • Total project with enhancements: about $2,300,000 Lessons Learned The project, although a resounding success, was not without problems. Given its scope and complexity, that was not surprising. Strong city leadership, business support, and extensive public involvement helped overcome obstacles, including: • Public resistance once the project got started despite many meetings. • Sometimes rocky relations between ODOT, the City, contractors and subcontractors. • A major campaign to retain angled parking which is discouraged on state highways. • Difficulty with old building entrances not matching up with the new sidewalks which caused ADA problems. • Cost of putting city logo at intersection. Overall, the citizens have been very happy with the results, although not everything turned out as expected: • New sign poles for handicapped spaces and other purposes clutter the sidewalk and seem higher than necessary. • The joint between the concrete intersection and asphalt paving is not holding up well. • There have been some complaints that the angled parking is not angled enough and that the curb extensions are difficult to negotiate. Curb extension In summary, Heppner showed that an ambitious project can (top) & mid-block be accomplished with a vision for the main street, strong crossing (bottom) local support, coordination between agencies, good timing, and persistence. Contacts Renee Devin, Heppner City Treasurer, 541-676-9618 Tom Carman, ODOT Federal Aid Specialist, 541-567-1423

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 83 Case Study 2 Pop. Newberg, Oregon 17,355

Highway Pacific Highway, OR-99W (First Street/Hancock Street couplet) Classification Statewide Highway Lanes Couplet with 3 lanes eastbound (First Street) and 2 lanes westbound (Hancock Street) Length 2.4 mi total (2 projects), about 0.45 mi on First Street. Hancock St. Width 60-ft right-of-way; 5-ft sidewalks. Traffic Volume 1997 ADT • 37,900 at Main Street (OR 219) • 41,300 peak in August • 5% trucks (3+ axles) Speed 25 mph posted downtown, 35–45 outside downtown core. Parking On-street parallel parking on both sides of each street. Adjacent Development Downtown core with stores, offices, civic buildings and some First St. at River St. residences. Intersections The complete project includes about 26 intersections, including intersections with 3 other state highways. The downtown improvements on First Street (Main Street to Meridian Street) include 7 intersections with 2 new signals. Issues There are 2 related projects in downtown Newberg, one on First Street (eastbound leg of OR-99W until River Street where OR-99W becomes 2-way) and the other on Hancock Street (westbound leg of OR-99W) and the 2-way section of First Street. These projects are the outcome of a planning effort begun several years earlier for the OR-99W corridor through Newberg. Issues identified were: • Very poor pavement conditions. • Severe traffic congestion along OR-99W and in downtown Newberg. • Large numbers of long distance commuters using the highway (6,000 daily weekday round trips to Portland). • Heavy recreational traffic on Fridays and weekends going to the coast. • Extensive local access directly on highway. • No alternate routes of sufficient length and capacity. • Difficulty crossing and turning onto the highway. • Poor pedestrian and bicycle conditions caused by speeding traffic and the multiple travel lanes.

84 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES • Above average crash rate. • Traffic noise. • General disruption of the downtown environment and business by traffic. A previous study examined a potential tollway around Newberg and nearby Dundee, the cities most affected by through traffic on the highway. Many other transportation- related planning and project development activities were under way about the same time. These included ODOT’s OR-99W/18 Corridor Study, Dundee’s Transportation System Plan, and several growth management studies. In addition to these broad-based transportation system planning efforts, specific projects such as OR-99W (Brutscher to Main) and North Road in Newberg were also considered. A range of alternatives were identified: • No action beyond scheduled maintenance. • Capacity increases to OR-99W through added lanes, intersection improvements, and access management. • Pedestrians enhancements to the downtown core including wider sidewalks, street trees, high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, and pedestrian-scale lighting. • Coordinated transportation system management and demand management to improve the efficiency of the existing facility and reduce travel demand. • Interurban rail. • A southern bypass tollway around Newberg and Difficult crossing of First St. couplet. Dundee. • A regional bypass. The 2 bypasses and a combination of the other strategies were explored. No clear consensus about the best alternative emerged. Public comments reflected the complex tradeoffs between satisfying transportation needs, enhancing community livability, protecting the environment, and the regional nature of the problem. Actions Taken The First Street signals, curb extensions and bike lane were included in the State Transportation Improvement Program for 1998 and were completed in 1999. The OR-99W project mentioned above (later called Everest to Main) was pursued through an Environmental Assessment and is in the State Transportation Improvement Program and will be started in 2000. The project includes reconstructing the roadway, adding a third travel lane and a bike lane to Hancock Street by removing parking on one side, adding off-street parking, straightening curves at the east end of Hancock to improve traffic flow, adding 2 signals to correspond with those on First Street, and constructing curb extensions at corners where parking will remain. None of the other proposed pedestrian improvements (wider sidewalks, landscaping, etc.) were incorporated.

Completed curb extension and bike lane.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 85 Some sidewalk gaps on the 2-way segment of First Street will be filled. Proposed medians and landscape strips were not incorporated. The various transportation management strategies failed to gain enough support and were not implemented. The bypass alternatives were dropped due to funding constraints. Key Design Features On First Street, 2 new traffic signals will be added (4 signals total in 7 blocks), 3 intersections will receive curb extensions, and a bike lane will be added. The 3 existing travel lanes and on-street parking on both sides will be retained. On Hancock Street, 2 new traffic signals will be added (4 signals total in 7 blocks), a travel lane will be added (3 total) by removing parking on the north side, off-street parking lots will be developed, intersections will receive curb extensions on one side, a bike lane will be added, and street will be realigned where it turns onto River Street to join First Street. Cost Newberg Signals (Install various signals & improvements): $842,000 Everest St.–Main St. (Construct a left-turn lane and additional southbound lane): $7,087,000 Lessons Learned This experience points to the need for a strong local vision to counteract the pressure of a major highway through the city’s downtown core. After much planning and public involvement, no long-term strategy or consensus was reached. The resulting projects will improve the pavement condition, crossing opportunities and bicycle access but the overall downtown environment and the failing highway will need to be revisited. Part of the difficulty in forming a strategy was the long planning process during which ODOT policies changed in regards to access management, multimodalism, and the American with Disabilities Act. Unfortunately, the curb extensions on First Street encountered unexpected difficulties. Many years of pavement overlays were hiding old trolly tracks which prevented the pavement from being lowered sufficiently to easily accommodate curb extensions. The construction crew had to improvise the drainage with slotted channels and gutter lines. As a result, the curb extensions were more work than planned. Contacts Ron Clay, ODOT Region 2, District 3, Project Manager, 503-986-2691 Michael Morris, ODOT Project Team Leader, 503-986- 2682.

86 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Case Study 3 Sisters, Oregon Pop. 850

Highway McKenzie-Bend Highway, U.S. 20 (Cascade Street) Classification Statewide Highway Lanes 2 lanes Length 0.7 mi Width 60-ft right-of-way on Cascade Street, 80 ft on Hood Street and Main Street; 6-ft sidewalks. Traffic Volume 1997 ADT • 7,100 east of McKenzie Highway (Cascade Street) • 10,000 peak in July • 11% trucks (3+ axles) Speed 25 mph posted Parking On-street parallel parking on Cascade Street, mostly angled parking elsewhere in downtown. Adjacent Development Downtown core with stores and offices. Intersections About 12 intersections; no signals or stops on Cascade Street. Issues Traffic is highly seasonal on OR-20 through Sisters, with the peak summer traffic being 2.5 times the winter traffic. There are 13 holidays and special events that bring many tourists to downtown. With on-street parking in the downtown and heavy pedestrian traffic during peak periods, as well as significant truck traffic, the highway experiences extreme delays 8 to 11 times a year. Traffic is generally tolerable the remainder of the time. When the City expressed concern over the periodic traffic jams, ODOT examined possible solutions. Since on-street parking is essential to the downtown, additional lanes could not be added. The primary alternative to improve traffic flow was a couplet; this seemed a good possibility with some relatively minor side-street improvements, but the idea generated controversy in the community and was eventually dropped. Traffic signals were also discussed. Actions Taken The solution chosen was to improve local circulation and parking, and to encourage traffic to use Main and Hood Streets during identifiable peaks. Businesses and residents were kept informed throughout the process. Hood Street one block south of Cascade Street was extended about 0.2 mi to the west which allows local traffic to bypass a section of the highway. Parking bays and curb extensions were installed on several side streets to provide dispersed parking throughout the city. Finally, temporary active signs of the type used by ODOT to alert motorists to special road conditions are set up to inform drivers of the parallel side streets to the highway; without the signs, they might not know of these alternate routes. This has proven to be very successful as businesses

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 87 have reported record sales during signage days. Evidently, the dispersed traffic and decreased congestion encourages people to stop and shop. Key Design Features Added 0.2 mi of new street to enhance connectivity. Improved side-street parking and pedestrian access. Adopted active signing for peak travel days to inform drivers of route choices. Cost Unavailable. Lessons Learned Sister’s experience demonstrates that several simple solutions may be all that is needed to deal with peak traffic demands. A key ingredient was public support and confidence in the City’s efforts to solve traffic problems. Contact Neil Thompson, Planner, City of Sisters, [email protected], 541-549-6022.

Active, temporary signing

Parking & pedestrian improvements on side street

Cascade St. (Hwy 20), Sisters, Oregon

88 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Scenario 1 Traditional Downtown

he example of a traditional the tall buildings set relatively close bike lane, but speeds were too T downtown is located in a fast- to the street. Although it's generally high for cyclists to mix with traffic. growing community of around desirable to have buildings set So, it turns out that for this main 30,000. The commercial area is close to the property line in down- street the central problem was traf- about 10 blocks long. The highway town, the sidewalk area in this fic went too fast and the sidewalks has moderate traffic levels (10,000 downtown was too narrow relative were too narrow. average daily trips), except on peak to the building height and roadway holiday weekends, and is desig- area. Most of the noise complaints The Ingredients nated as a highway of regional im- were from pedestrians, who felt ex- What was the best solution for this portance. Except at peak traffic pe- posed to traffic be- community's problem of riods, speeds were about 10 mph cause the side- excessive speed? The first higher than the posted speed of 25 walks were thing that the community mph. The sidewalks were 8 ft wide. too nar- decided to do was improve The highway had two 14-ft travel row pedestrian conditions. This lanes within a 60-ft right-of-way included adding curb ex- with 8-ft wide parking lanes. There tensions at all the corners are a couple of traffic signals in in the downtown core, to the downtown, but they are shorten the crossing dis- several blocks apart. Build- tances and increase the vis- ings in the downtown are ibility of pedestrians wait- generally located at the ing to cross. Curb exten- front property line, and sev- sions also have a traffic eral of these are historic and calming effect. Trees were 3–4 stories tall. There is a placed in the extensions to good diversity of commer- preserve sidewalk width cial and service uses. and to get them closer to the roadway so that motor- The problems? ists would feel that the The most common com- street was narrower. plaints were about "traffic" Because of the limited right- and not enough parking. of-way, the most difficult deci- When questioned more sion the community made was closely, the "traffic" concern to widen the sidewalks. Eight feet expressed by citizens wasn’t just wasn't wide enough for pe- that there were too many ve- destrians, street furniture, and hicles, but that they were go- landscaping, especially since the ing too fast. This made it community wanted to encourage harder for pedestrians to cross the street activities such as cafes (the street, particularly because their to include any buffering such as total sidewalk width was only visibility was limited by the on- street furniture and landscaping. about 25% of the 60-ft right-of- street parking. Excessive speed also exacer- way). The "traffic" concern also turned bated parking concerns by making After looking at several alterna- out to be partly caused by noise, getting in and out of on-street tives in their downtown visioning particularly from trucks shifting parking spaces intimidating. In ad- exercise, the community decided gears and braking at the town's two dition, bicycles were not accom- that a 10-ft sidewalk was needed, signals. It appeared upon examina- modated on the main street—there based on the existing buildings, a tion that noise was accentuated by was not enough right-of-way for a 1-ft shy distance from the building

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 89 front, a 5-ft clear passage area, Paying for It cluding the SUPI program for the and a 4-ft street furniture and sidewalk widening and the State landscape area. The 10-ft width ODOT had scheduled a preserva- Urban Forestry Program for street required no exception from tion overlay for the main street in trees. Street furniture was selected ODOT because it is the standard the STIP. The city requested an ex- and provided by the downtown minimum for downtown side- pansion of the project scope to in- association. The local electricity walks. (This increased the total clude sidewalk widening and provider agreed to underground sidewalk width to about 35% of landscaping. Both of these im- the utilities along the downtown. the 60-ft right-of-way.) provements had been identified in The city signed an intergovern- An exception from ODOT was the city's downtown plan. The mental agreement with ODOT to required to narrow the combined ODOT Federal Aid Specialist and maintain the landscaping and parking lane and travel lane to 20 the city worked together to obtain sidewalk areas. ft in each direction for the remain- funds from several sources, in- ing 40 ft of right-of- way. Because the speeds were re- Before duced, bicyclists could more easily share the travel lane with cars. A study showed that the nar- 8' 8' 14' 14' 8' 8' rower parking and 2.4 m 2.4 m 4.3 m 4.3 m 2.4 m 2.4 m travel lane will con- tinue to provide sufficient capacity for After the projected traffic, and would be consistent with the community's desires for lower speeds through the town. 10' 7' 13' 13' 7' 10' 3.0 m 2.1 m 4.0 m 4.0 m 2.1 m 3.0 m

60' ROW 18.3 m

Not to Scale

Curb extensions add sidewalk space, Minimum width Trees soften the street and provide place for trees, bike parking, help slow traffic. etc. and shorten crossing distance. lanes slow traffic.

Traditional downtown with parking bays and curb extensions.

90 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Scenario 2 Couplet

he couplet is in an agricultural passing through to stop. There way, all improvements were T community of around 10,000. were no street trees, benches, or developed to full ODOT standards The highway is of Statewide other amenities. although it was understood that Importance, with high traffic levels this would limit the effectiveness (20,000 average daily trips) and The Ingredients of traffic calming. over 5% large trucks. The com- Curb extensions were added to mercial area is around 8 blocks In spite of many citizens express- all corners to the depth of the long, on both legs of the couplet, ing concern, there was little parking lane. Sidewalks were with an interrupted grid of local consensus about what to do, and widened to 10 ft plus a 4.5-ft streets on 400–600 ft blocks. Most especially how to pay planting strip (or 14.5 ft of side- businesses are set back from the for it. As a first step, walk in front of certain shops that roadway with parking in front. the citizens wanted room for outdoor There is one signalized intersec- decided to seating), and missing tion in the center of town. There define the sidewalk segments built. are two travel lanes and on-street central Colored pavers were parking in a 75-ft right-of-way. added to the edges of the sidewalks as an accent and The problems? to allow access to utilities and street trees were In this town, traffic was really added to planting wells going too fast for a downtown within the sidewalk. area. From a speed study, it was Benches, lighting, and determined that the average waste receptacles were motorist exceeded the added. A bike lane was posted speed by 10–15 added to each leg of the mph. There was a higher couplet. The city is also than average collision rate, working to close or com- partly because there were bine private driveway many driveways, some of accesses so that there are a which stretched along the maximum of two per entire lot frontage. block. It was very difficult for One alternative that was pedestrians to cross the considered and rejected was highway except at the to add more traffic signals to signalized intersection, other intersections. After a traffic which has a pedestrian study was conducted, it was phase activated by a push determined that there was not button. The sidewalk was enough side street traffic, pedes- only 6 ft wide, and seg- trian traffic, or collisions to war- ments were missing. In spite of a business district with a downtown rant a signal (most collisions were school being located one block off plan. A plan was created that occurring at mid-block because of of the couplet, there were no identified the central business lack of access management). facilities for bicycles. district (CBD) as a smaller area of As part of the planning process, In addition, the Chamber of 4 blocks on each leg of the cou- the citizens recognized the need Commerce despaired that the plet. Within this CBD, the focus to include some long-term goals downtown was unattractive and was on calming traffic and im- that would help create the sense lacked a “sense of place.” There proving pedestrian conditions. of place. One of these goals was were few reasons for motorists Because there was ample right-of- to develop gateways to the central

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 91 business district with medians, Paying for It into the pavement. The Park sidewalks, and landscaping. This District signed an intergovernmen- would help identify a transition This project was almost entirely tal agreement with ODOT to from less developed areas into the built by Federal Transportation maintain the street trees; the local CBD. It was also a long-term goal Enhancement funds, matched by downtown association contributes to improve the local street grid to the city. The project included and maintains seasonal plantings provide alternative routes for local pedestrian and bicycle enhance- and takes care of street furniture. trips. As part of its vision, the plan ments, as well as street beautifica- The city pays for garbage pickup. would encourage businesses to tion. Some additional landscaping A longtime resident recently left move off-street parking to the was funded by citizens, who the city money specifically for a sides or rear of businesses in the bought trees and dedicated them fountain in the downtown area. CBD, redevelop off-street parking with a small imprinted brick laid areas with buildings to improve the street-front environ- Before ment, and redevelop vacant lots with buildings or green spaces. 6' 12' 19.5' 19.5' 12' 6' 1.8 m 3.6 m 6.0 m 6.0 m 3.6 m 1.8 m

After

14.5' 8' 12' 12' 6' 8' 14.5' 4.4 m 2.4 m 3.6 m 3.6 m 1.8 m 2.4 m 4.4 m

75' ROW 23.0 m

Trees and planting strip Parking lot screened from soften the street and help Parking moved to side of sidewalk and access moved slow traffic. building with alley access. to side street.

Not to Scale

Because major street is one-way, there will be no right turns at Curb extensions add sidewalk space, provide place for trees, bike parking, Vacant lot developed Bike lane on right these corners and so the curb into park. side of street. returns can be almost square. etc. and shorten crossing distance.

Couplet with wide sidewalks, parking bays, curb extensions, and bike lane.

92 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Scenario 3 5-Lane Highway

ortions of some state highways part of downtown has a post office appeared that left turns across the P have been built or widened to and a library on opposite sides of two lanes of traffic generated 5 lanes, mainly with the goal of the street. There are no traffic some of the collisions. Speeding accommodating large traffic signals in the town. was apparently not a serious volumes while permitting direct There have been a significantly problem. From a speed study, the business access. This example of a higher than average number of average motorist did not exceed 5-lane highway is located on a serious collisions along the 5-lane the 35 mph speed limit. highway of statewide importance section over the last 5 years, and a The community was also wor- through a mid-sized city of around pedestrian was killed two years ried about pedestrian safety; 40,000 people. The highway ago. A shopping mall recently particularly where pedestrians carries an average of 30,000 trips opened at one end of town, and were crossing from the post office per day with over 5% large freight the downtown has seen a decline to the library. Although there was trucks. The posted speed is 35 in business since then. a pedestrian warning sign and a mph along the 6 blocks of down- A Transportation System Plan marked crosswalk, motorists rarely town main street. The right-of-way (TSP) was completed but the stopped, and there was always is 80 ft. There is no on-street community did not support it, so it uncertainty about whether motor- parking. Sidewalks are 6 ft wide has not been adopted. However, a ists in the adjacent lane would and curb-tight. The center turn corridor plan has been completed also stop. In fact, this is how the lane was 16 ft wide, plus 2 travel and adopted that includes this pedestrian was killed two years lanes in each direction. section of highway. ago. The uses along the highway are almost all commercial, with The problems? The Ingredients parking out front. Each business The central concern of this com- Two alternatives to solve the safety has its own access, some of which munity was safety. Many accidents concern were identified in the are wider than 40 ft. Several appeared to be associated with corridor plan and discussed by businesses are car-oriented (a vehicles turning left in and out of ODOT and the community. The couple of fast food drive-through driveways. The local police said first of these was to restripe the restaurants and a gas station/ that many motorists use the center street as 3 lanes, add a bike lane, convenience store), but the oldest turn lane for passing. It also and install on-street parking and

Before

6' 14' 12' 16' 12' 14' 6' 1.8 m 4.3 m 3.6 m 4.9 m 3.6 m 4.3 m 1.8 m

After

6' 6' 12' 12' 8' 12' 12' 6' 6' 1.8 m 1.8 m 3.6 m 3.6 m 2.4 m 3.6 m 3.6 m 1.8 m 1.8 m

80' ROW 24.4 m

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 93 add bulbouts at intersections. This width could be redistributed to Paying for It would eliminate some of the create bike lanes. As well as collisions caused by the left turns providing for bicycles, the bike There was a measurable safety across two lanes. Three lanes lanes provided some buffer for concern in this community, which would make it easier for pedestri- pedestrians on the fairly narrow, ODOT had been aware of for ans to cross, since the crossing curb-tight sidewalks. several years. The median was width would be reduced. It would The transition areas where the identified as a potential solution in also eliminate the hazard of the median and bike lanes began and the highway corridor plan. The motorist in the second lane failing ended occurred at intersections project was placed on the STIP to stop for pedestrians. However, where the change in lane configu- and completed by ODOT the because of the high volumes on ration could be accommodated. In following year. The community this important freight and com- the future, the adjacent highway asked for landscaping on the muting route, there was concern segments may be restriped for bike median; ODOT agreed to include that eliminating two lanes would lanes instead of the wide outside low-water using native shrubs. The result in an unacceptable loss of lane. community committed to main- capacity. The discussions about the taining the landscaping. Instead, the community decided median generated new commu- Since the median was con- to construct a center median nity interest in creating a long- structed, the collision rate appears through the most critical area, in term downtown plan. A number of to have been reduced, and pedes- terms of collisions and pedestrian merchants felt that widening trians report that crossing the crossings—around 4 blocks. The sidewalks, adding landscaping highway is somewhat easier. median provided access manage- and on-street parking on the side The community is discussing ment to limit left turns and a streets, and encouraging infill to obtaining a TGM grant for the pedestrian refuge. In addition, the bring buildings closer to the long-term downtown plan and median only needed to be 6 ft property line would help to bring updating the TSP. x wide, so the remaining roadway the downtown back to life.

Raised median offers several benefits: • Pedestrians can cross fewer lanes at a time. Bile lanes • Drivers slow down because of the road appears narrower. accommodate • Conflicts are reduced because mid-block left turns are eliminated. bicycle travel. • Some access shifts to parallel streets which improves highway function.

Not to Scale

Site access becomes right-in/right-out or, if the lot fronts two streets, can shift to a side street.

5-lane highway with median and bike lanes.

94 Chapter 6: EXAMPLES Chapter 7 Appendix Glossary...... 95 Resources .100 Index...... 101 Appendix

Glossary

AASHTO: American Association of State Highway and Bike Lane: A portion of a roadway which has been desig- Transportation Officials. See also: Green Book. nated by striping and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists. Access Management: Measures regulating access to the highway from streets and driveways. Main streets generally fea- Bikeway: The appropriate design treatment for bicyclists, ture short blocks with many street connections and few drive- based primarily on motor vehicle traffic volumes and ways, since most parking is on-street. Refer to the Oregon speeds. Main street bikeway types include the shared road- Highway Plan for access standards. See also: Deviation. way, wide lane, shoulder bikeway, and bike lane. Area Commission on Transportation (ACT): A body char- Capacity: The number of vehicles that can travel past a tered by the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and given point on a sustained basis. Vehicle capacity responds composed of local transportation representatives, elected to 3 factors: the number of travel lanes, the degree of con- officials, and business representations of 2–4 counties. nectivity, and generated traffic. In urban conditions, lane ACTs propose and comment on policy set by the OTC, capacity ranges from 600 to 900 vehicles per hour. propose programs and projects, and provide citizens and Center Turn Lane: See: Continuous Two-Way Left-Turn Lane. officials with a link to the OTC. Central Business District (CBD): A traditional downtown Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Civil rights legisla- area usually characterized by established businesses tion passed in 1990. ADA influences street design as de- fronting the street, a concentration of public buildings, scribed in the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Most sidewalks, slow traffic speeds, on-street parking, and a relevant aspects of ADA are discussed in the Oregon Bicycle compact grid street system. Main street usually runs and Pedestrian Plan. through the CBD. Alignment: Geometric arrangement of the highway includ- Channelization: The separation of vehicle and pedestrian ing width, slope, curvature, etc. movements at an intersection into defined paths through APWA: American Public Works Association. the use of islands. Arterial: A road designated to carry traffic through an area Collector: A street designated to carry traffic between local rather than to local destinations. streets and arterials, or from local street to local street. Average Daily Traffic (ADT): The measurement of the aver- Community: A sustainable human habitat which is complete age number of vehicles passing a certain point each day, and compact. The smallest community is a neighborhood. usually given as a total for both directions. Traffic during Continuous Two-Way Left-Turn Lane (CTWLTL): A travers- the peak hour is normally about one-tenth of the ADT. able median that is designed to accommodate left-turn Balanced Use: The combination of land uses within an egress movements from opposite directions. Aka center area, such as a downtown, such that residents do not need turn lane and two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL). to leave the area on a daily basis. Corner Radius: See: Intersection Curb Radius. Basic Rule: A state statute (ORS 811.100) that requires ve- Corridor Plan: A transportation plan for an entire length of hicles to be driven at speeds “reasonable and prudent” for highway which may include many different classifications. the conditions (traffic, highway surface and width, inter- Corridor plans are coordinated with the cities and other section hazards, weather, visibility, etc.). jurisdictions through which the highway passes. BID: Business Improvement District. Couplet: Two one-way streets that handle traffic in the opposite directions. Couplets are typically created by converting existing two-way streets

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 95 Glossary (cont’d)

Cross-Section: Diagrammatic presentation of a highway Grid Pattern: A web of intersecting streets, which is recti- profile at right angles to the centerline at a given location. linear in its alignment and orthogonal at its intersections. Crosswalk: Portion of a roadway designated for pedestrian See: Street Network. crossing, marked or unmarked. Unmarked crosswalks are Highway: A general term denoting a public way for pur- the natural extension of the shoulder, curb line, or sidewalk. poses of travel, including the entire area within the right- Deviation: A departure from an access management stan- of-way. See sidebar on next page for specific highway clas- dard. See: Access Management. sifications used in Oregon. Department of Land Conservation and Development Human Scale: Site and building design elements that are (DLCD): State agency that assists cities and counties in ap- dimensionally less than those intended to accommodate plying Oregon’s land use laws, and aids in assuring com- automobile traffic, flow and buffering. pliance with Oregon's Statewide goals and guidelines. Intersection Curb Radius: The curved edge of a thorough- Design Exception: A deviation from the Highway Design fare at an intersection, measured at the edge of the travel Manual standards that must be approved by the Roadway lanes (excluding the parking and bike lanes). Aka corner Manager. radius and curb return radius. EID: Economic Improvement District. Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC): A group of citizen volunteers appointed by the Enclosure: One of the physical attributes of streets and Governor to direct the Department of Land Conservation open spaces that contributes to a sense of place. Enclosure and Development. is adjusted primarily by building setback and height, and by trees. See also: Vertical Plane. Land Use: The type of activity that the land is used for. On a Expressway: A highway that provides for safe and efficient main street, common land uses are commercial, office, resi- high speed and high volume traffic with limited access. A dential, light industrial, and public (library, city hall, etc.). main street is never an expressway. Level of Service (LOS): The condition of traffic flow or de- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): Federal agency lay expressed as a range from LOS “A” which represents which oversees and funds highway-related activities that unimpeded flow to LOS “F” which represents severe con- affect the national interest. gestion. LOS was replaced by “mobility” in the 1999 Or- egon Highway Plan. Flexibility in Highway Design: A 1997 publication by AASHTO and the FHWA to accompany the Green Book. It Local Street: A street designated to provide access to and shows engineers and managers how sensitivity to local from local residences or businesses. needs can result in better projects. Median: The portion of the roadway which separates op- Frontage Road: A road designated and designed to serve posing traffic streams. local traffic parallel and adjacent to a highway. Mobility: In planning terms, mobility is the ordinary move- Gateway: An highly varied urban element which marks the ment of the population by any means, including by direct entrance of a district. Gateways are useful for orientation travel or by means which reduce the need to travel such as within the city. See also: Transition Area. proximity of destinations and teleworking. In highway Grade: A measure of the steepness of a roadway, bikeway, terms, mobility is defined as the movement of vehicles. or walkway, expressed in a ratio of vertical rise per hori- Mobility Standard: ODOT has established performance zontal distance, usually in percent; e.g., a 5% grade equals goals for different highway classifications to aid in plan- 5 m of rise over a 100 m horizontal distance. ning, design, and management. Motor vehicle mobility is Grade Separation: The vertical separation of conflicting determined by volume-to-capacity ratio. Refer to the Or- travelways with a structure, such as a pedestrian bridge egon Highway Plan for mobility standards. See: Volume-to- over the highway. Capacity Ratio. Green Book: AASHTO’s “A Policy on Geometric Design of Mode (or Modal): A means of moving people or goods. Highways and Streets” which provides guidelines (not Modes such as rail, transit, carpooling, walking, and bicy- standards) for roadway design. The Green Book empha- cling that provide transportation alternatives to single-oc- sizes joint use of transportation corridors by pedestrians, cupancy automobiles are sometimes called “alternative cyclists, and public transit vehicles, and encourages flex- modes.” ibile designs tailored to particular situations. In Oregon, Modernization: Highway projects that accommodate exist- the Green Book is modified by the Highway Design ing traffic or projected traffic growth by adding capacity. Manual. See also: Flexibility in Highway Design. See: Preservation.

96 Chapter 7: APPENDIX Glossary (cont’d) Oregon Highway Classifications (*could be a main street) MUTCD: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways published by the Federal Highway Categories Administration, 1988; a national standard for the design, Interstate: Links major cities and other states. application and placement of traffic control devices includ- *Statewide: Links major destinations not on Interstate. *Regional: Links regional centers. ing traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings. Discussion *District: Links county and city areas. of pedestrian needs is limited. *Local Interest: Generally local arterials with little through National Highway System (NHS): A system of statewide traffic. and interstate highways and intermodal connectors meet- Sub-Categories ing federal criteria (approximately 155,000 miles total), Freeway: High-speed, high-volume, controlled access. designated by Congress in the National Highway System Expressway: High-speed, high-volume, limited access. Designation Act of 1995. *Urban Arterial: High-volume urban street; many potential land uses; further subdivided into Urban Fringe/Sub- National Register of Historic Places (NRHP): See: SHPO. urban, Developed, and Traditional Downtown/Central Business District. Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR): A rule written by a government agency intended to clarify the intent of an Land Use Designations adopted law. *Special Transportation Area: Traditional downtown or central business district; low-speed, on-street parking, Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan: As adopted June 14, many street connections, and few driveways; often pedes- 1995, establishes bicycle and pedestrian policies and trian oriented. implementation strategies for ODOT, presents detailed Commercial Center: Large commercial, mixed-use development (400,000+ ft2) with convenient internal circula- design, maintenance and safety information, and provides tion including provisions for pedestrians, bicyclists and facility design standards. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan transit, where available. Adjacent to and linked to the high- covers many main street issues such as speed reduction, way by a road or driveway. lane widths, medians, crossings, and intersections. The Urban Business Area: Highway segments where vehicu- plan stresses good roadway design that takes into account lar accessibility is important to continued economic viability. Accommodates automobile access. Requires plans the needs of all users. to improve pedestrian movement, cluster new buildings Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT): The in centers or nodes, and improve movement between, agency entrusted with moving people and products by all across, and within urban business areas. modes to enhance the state's economy and livability. Other Designations *Freight System: Long-haul truck movement a priority; has Oregon Highway Design Manual (HDM): In draft as of higher mobility standard. October 1999; final Manual is expected to be published in *Lifeline Route: Emergency route maintained for poten- early 2000. The Manual will assist designers in selecting tial mass movement. the appropriate standards for a highway project. In particu- *Scenic Byway: Exceptional scenic value that may affect design. lar, it expands the discussion of urban highway design to include traditional downtowns and central business districts. The intent within these areas is to provide a pedestrian, bicycle, and transit friendly environment. Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP): As adopted September Oregon Highway Plan (OHP): As adopted March 18, 1999, 15, 1992, the OTP defines transportation goals, policies establishes policies and implementation strategies for Oregon and actions for the next 40 years, and identifies a coordi- highways, including those that are also main streets. The nated multimodal transportation system to be developed highway plan strikes a balance between local accessibility over 20 years. It gives increased emphasis to public transit, and through movement of people and goods. It establishes intercity bus service, railroads, bicycles and walking, and highway classifications as a tool to sort out investment pri- supports the development of compact, walkable communi- orities for highway projects. Designations for downtown ties. The OTP envisions downtown cores that are healthy commercial areas stress pedestrian access. Segment classi- central hubs for commerce within an urban region. fications are set by ODOT in collaboration with the af- Parking Lane: The recommended width for parallel parking fected cities and counties. See also: Special Transportation lanes along a highway is 8 ft (2.4 m), with 7 ft (2.1 m) as Area. an exception in constrained right-of-ways. Oregon Revised Statute (ORS): A law that governs the Pavement Markings: Painted or applied lines or legends state of Oregon, as proposed by the legislature and signed placed on a roadway surface for regulating, guiding, or by the Governor. warning traffic.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 97 Glossary (cont’d)

Pavement Width: The width of vehicular pavement of a Secondary Route: A parallel road to main street suitable as street, including moving and parking lanes but excluding an alternate route for through traffic, especially trucks. planters and sidewalks. See also: Roadway. Sense of Place: A highly desirable but elusive quality of a Pavement: The impervious surface dedicated to the circu- neighborhood or city, often recognized only when it is lation and parking of vehicles. Sound environmental prac- lost. An effective sense of place is created by many inter- tice endeavors to minimize paved area which is consid- dependent elements, such as: the setting, buildings, streets, ered detrimental to the watershed and increases the cost of meeting places, connections between important places, drainage. activities, and the presence of people. Peak Hour: Hour of the day with the most traffic, usually Shared Roadway: A type of bikeway where bicyclists and during the evening commute time but sometimes including motor vehicles share a travel lane. the morning commute time or early afternoon. Shoulder: The portion of a highway that is contiguous to Pedestrian: A person on foot, in a wheelchair, or walking a the travel lanes provided for pedestrians (when there is no bicycle. sidewalk), bicyclists, emergency use by vehicles, and for lateral support of the base and surface. Pedestrian Friendly: Design qualities that make walking attractive, including places people want to go and good Shy Distance: The lateral (side) clearance of a walkway or facilities on which to get there. vehicle travel lane as measured from the outside edge of the walkway or lane to the nearest vertical obstacle such Pedestrian Scale: See Human Scale. as a building, fence, or pole. Planting Strip: That section of the sidewalk area which ac- Sidewalk: A walkway separated from the roadway with a commodates street trees and scrubs. curb, constructed of a durable, hard and smooth surface, Preservation: Projects that rebuild or extend the service designed for preferential or exclusive use by pedestrians. life of highways. Preservation projects add useful life to the Sidewalk Area: That portion of a street right-of-way which highway without increasing capacity. See: Modernization. is dedicated to uses other than moving and parking ve- Prospectus: An internal ODOT tool that defines a project hicles. It includes primarily the sidewalks, plantings, and in its planning stage. The prospectus describes project lim- street furniture. its, costs and funding, environmental issues, and approvals. Sight Distance: The distance a person can see along an Quality of Life (QOL): A measure of human well-being unobstructed line of sight. related to personal choice, including availability of leisure Slip Lane: A wide-radius, right-turn channel to facilitate time, discretionary income, and travel options. high volumes of turning vehicles. See: Channelization. Raised Median: A nontraversable median where curbs are Small-Scale Urban Highway Pedestrian Improvement used to elevate the surface of the median above the sur- (SUPI): An ODOT program administered by the Oregon face of the adjacent traffic face. Pedestrians may normally Bicycle and Pedestrian Program that helps cities and cross the median but vehicles may not. See: Median. counties complete small pedestrian projects on urban Refuge Island: A nontraversable section of median or highways. channelization device on which pedestrians can take ref- Smart Development: Development that implements the uge while crossing the highway. state’s land use and transportation goals in urban areas. It Right-of-Way (ROW): The composite public area dedicated is "smart" because it: uses land efficiently; facilitates a exclusively to circulation—both physical and social—in- range of transportation choices; fully utilizes existing cluding the roadway and pedestrian area. public facilities; combines residential, commercial, and Roadway: The paved portion of the street which is prima- community service activities within a neighborhood to rily occupied by vehicles, including the travel lanes and create a lively and safe environment; is designed to the parking lanes. The roadway may also include a median scale and comfort of people; and uses locally-appropriate and refuge islands. design to reinforce community identity and heritage. Roadway Manager: The ODOT person responsible for Special Transportation Area (STA): A highway classifica- making exceptions to the design standards. tion identified in a corridor plan or local transportation system plan. An STA is characterized by a downtown, busi- Roundabout: An intersection design where traffic circu- ness district, or community center on an Urban Arterial lates around a central island rather than proceeding (not Expressway) with speeds no more than 25 mph (40 straight through and which has special features to reduce km/h), frequent street connections, and on-street parking. conflicts inherent in conventional intersections.

98 Chapter 7: APPENDIX Glossary (cont’d)

In an STA, local access and pedestrian travel is more im- Traffic Management: The mitigation of traffic congestion portant than through traffic movement. The STA designa- achieved by methods other than proximity of destinations, tion allows changes from the usual highway standards road construction, or the provision of transit. The principal within the downtown, such as shorter block lengths and methods are: transit, car-pooling, staggering of work hours, higher levels of local congestion. This is balanced by strict and variable rate road tolls. access management on the highway outside of the down- Traffic Priority Device: The various techniques which as- town. STAs, as well as the other land use area designa- sign priority to the moving vehicle at the expense of the tions, are applied to a specific area through the adoption pedestrian; having the opposite effect of traffic calming. of a Transportation System Plan or Corridor Plan. (Through the ODOT Exception Process, some STA design elements Traffic Volume: The number of vehicles that pass a given may be applied to an appropriate highway segment when point for a given length of time (hour, day, year). See: Aver- not a designated STA.) See also: Oregon Highway Plan. age Daily Traffic and Capacity. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO): Agency prima- Transit: The four general types of transit systems are heavy rily concerned with the preservation of historic structures rail, light rail, buses, and trolleys. In addition, there are hy- and districts, such as property on, or eligible for, the Na- brids such as taxi fleets and rental cars. tional Register of Historic Places. Any use of federal high- Transit Stop: The waiting area for bus or rail. The experi- way funds in a main street project requires review by ence of waiting is considered to be as important as any SHPO to determine if the project could have an adverse other consideration in encouraging the use of transit by effect on historic resources. those who have the choice. State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): Transition Area: A length of street where an obvious changes ODOT’s adopted list of major projects covering 4 years. occur such as street width, building types, speed limit, or Street: A place of movement and activity, defined by the landscaping. A well-defined transition area before main street continuous line of buildings along its edges which have a may be necessary to help slow traffic. See also: Gateway. particular scale, dimension, form, and detail unique to Transportation Demand Management (TDM): Actions each street. which are designed to change travel behavior in order to im- Street Network: A web of intersecting streets, which may prove performance of transportation facilities and to reduce be diagonal, curvilinear, or irregular in its alignment and need for additional road capacity. Methods may include but variable at its intersections. See: Grid Pattern. are not limited to the use of alternative modes, ride-sharing and vanpool programs, and trip-reduction ordinances. Streetscape: The combination of planters, sidewalks, street trees, and street lights. Transportation Growth Management (TGM): A program administered by the Department of Land Conservation and Terminal Vista: A building, sculpture, hill, or other large Development to assist cities and counties in dealing with object at the end of a street segment. A terminal vista tends transportation issues. to slow the motorist and gives the pedestrian a landmark with which to orient themselves. Transportation Needs: Estimates of the movement of people and goods consistent with an acknowledged com- TIF: Tax Increment Financing. prehensive plan and state requirements such as the TPR. Threshold Gap: The distance from a pedestrian to an on- Needs are typically based on projections of future travel coming motor vehicle sufficient for 50% of pedestrians to demand resulting from a continuation of current trends as choose to cross a street. modified by policy objectives (such as avoiding principal reliance on any one mode of transportation). Traffic Calming: A set of techniques which serve to reduce the speed and aggressiveness of traffic. Such strategies in- Transportation Planning Rule (TRP): Oregon Administra- clude lane narrowing, on-street parking, sidewalk exten- tive Rule 660-12 that establishes the relationship between sions into the roadway, surface variations, and visual clues transportation and land use planning. The TPR stresses that on a vertical plane. Although traffic calming is often a ret- a community’s land use plan amendments and zone rofit to deal with identified problems, it is also an impor- changes that may affect a transportation facility should be tant aspect of new construction to prevent problems from consistent with the adopted function, capacity, and perfor- occurring. See: Traffic Priority Device. mance measures for the affected facility. Some of the TPR requirements that applicable to main streets include bi- Traffic Control Device: Signs, signals or other fixtures, cycle parking, bikeways and sidewalks, and safe and con- whether permanent or temporary, placed on or adjacent to venient pedestrian and bicycle access from the sidewalk, a travelway by authority of a public body having jurisdiction to regulate, warn, or guide traffic.

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 99 Glossary (cont’d) Resources transit stops, adjacent development, and residential and neighborhood activity centers within one-half mile. Transportation System Plan (TSP): A plan for one or more Livable Oregon transportation facilities that are planned, developed, oper- 621 SW Morrison, Suite 1300 ated, and maintained in a coordinated manner to supply Portland, Oregon 97205 continuity of movement between modes, and within and between geographic and jurisdictional areas. 503-222-2182 http://www.livable.org Travel Lane (aka Driving Lane): Area of roadway dedicated to vehicle movement. The recommended width for high- Oregon Department of Forestry ways is 12 ft (3.6 m), with 11 or 10 ft (3.3 or 3.0 m) permit- ted in constrained right-of-ways under certain conditions. 2600 State Streen Salem Oregon 97310 Urban Arterial: A major street in an urban area. See: Arterial. 503-945-7213 Utilities: General term for urban infrastructure, excluding http://www.odf.state.or.us transportation. Utilities include electricity, telephone, fiber- optic cable, gas, water, and sewer. While streets run within Oregon Department of Transportation public right-of-ways, utilities run within easements which Transportation Bldg. may overlap private lots. 355 Capitol St. NE Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): The average length of a vehicular trip. VMT is one measure of the effectiveness of Salem, Oregon 97301-3871 balanced use as a measure of traffic mitigation. 888-275-6368 Vertical Plane: The vertical aspect of a building or street- http://www.odot.state.or.us scape, as opposed to the horizontal plane, which is the Oregon Downtown Development Association plan view. 161 High Street, SE #236 or PO Box 2912 Volume-to-Capacity Ratio (V/C Ratio): A measure of road- Salem, Oregon 97308 way congestion, calculated by dividing the number of vehicles passing through a section of highway during the 503-587-0574 peak hour by the capacity of the section. See: Capacity http://www.odda.org and Congestion. e-mail: [email protected] Walking Distance: The distance which may be covered by a five-minute walk at an easy pace. This is the distance that Oregon Economic and Community Development most people will walk rather than drive, providing the en- Department vironment is pedestrian-friendly. 775 Summer St., NE Vehicle: Any device in, upon, or by which any person or Salem, Oregon 97310 property is or may be transported or drawn upon a high- 503-986-0123 way, including vehicles that are self-propelled or powered http://170.104.101.34/DEPT.HTM by any means. Walkway: A transportation facility built for use by pedestri- Oregon Parks and Recreation Department ans, including persons in wheelchairs. Walkways include State Historic Preservation Office sidewalks, paths, and paved shoulders. 1115 Commercial St. NE Wide Outside Lane: A wider than normal curbside travel Salem, Oregon 97310 lane that is provided for ease of bicycle operation where 503-378-4168 there is insufficient room for a bike lane or shoulder bikeway; normally 14 ft (4.2 m). x http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/SHPO/shpoabout.html Transportation Growth Management Program 635 Capitol St. NE Suite 200 Salem, Oregon 97301 503-373-0050 http://www.lcd.state.or.us/issues/tgmweb

100 Chapter 7: APPENDIX Index

A lighting...... 42 roadway ...... 38 mid-block ...... 49 access ...... 3, 29 sidewalk ...... 57 textured...... 49 activity centers ...... 70 street system...... 34 curb ADA ...... 27, 30 intersection design ...... 27 extension ...... 58 angled parking ...... 44 island, refuge ...... 46 radius ...... 41 Area Commission on J Transportation ...... 11 D awareness Jacobs, Allan ...... 2, 66 crosswalk ...... 20 design curb extension ...... 20 building ...... 68 L refuge island ...... 20 exception ...... 9, 12, 16, 19, 44 LaGrande ...... 8, 69 awning ...... 63 factors ...... 22 land use ...... 70 ingredients ...... 33 landscaping...... 61, 65 B intersection ...... 27 length...... 14 non-highway ...... 72 Baker City ...... 55, 70 block...... 35 speed humps ...... 72 Basic Rule ...... 23, 24 liability...... 26 plan ...... 8 Bend ...... 21 lighting...... 63 roadway area ...... 38 Bicycle and Pedestrian Program ...... 77 crosswalk ...... 42 sidewalk...... 57 bicycle racks ...... 64 local improvement district...... 74 development codes ...... 11 bike lane ...... 39 local street network ...... 35 drainage ...... 59 bikeway ...... 39 drive-through ...... 29 block length ...... 30 M driveway ...... 26, 60 building maintenance ...... 61 area...... 16, 68 E McMinnville ...... 70 codes & ordinances...... 70 median...... 43 design ...... 68 economic improvement district ...... 75 raised ...... 28 entrances ...... 68 enforcement ...... 72 mid-block crossing ...... 28 façade ...... 68 exception. See design, exception mixed use ...... 70 height...... 69 F mobility ...... 3 height to street ratio ...... 69 modernization...... 12 orientation ...... 68 funding ...... 73 MUTCD ...... 47 setback...... 68 G windows ...... 68 N bulb-out. See curb extension gas tax...... 74 National Register of Historic Places..... 99 business improvement district ...... 75 gateway ...... 15, 26, 52 Newberg ...... 84 bypass ...... 37 grants ...... 76 noise ...... 22 C H O case study height...... 17, 69 ODOT Heppner...... 82 height-to-width ratio ...... 17, 69 Traffic Management Section ...... 47 Newberg ...... 84 Heppner...... 12, 82 on-street parking ...... 44 Sisters...... 87 highway open spaces. See vacant lots channelization ...... 40 as barrier ...... 27 Oregon Highway Plan ... 9, 10, 12, 32, 60 classifications, highway ...... 14, 97 classifications ...... 14, 97 Oregon Livability Initiative. See 21st cleanliness ...... 64 Highway Design Manual ...... 1 Century Community Fund colored shoulder ...... 52 historical preservation ...... 71 Oregon Transportation comfort ...... 22 horizontal infrastructure ...... 17 Infrastructure Bank ...... 78 congestion ...... 31 human scale...... 14 P costs...... 32 I corner radius ...... 41 parallel parking ...... 44 Corridor Plan ...... 9 Immediate Opportunity Grant Program 78 parking couplet...... 36 informational signs ...... 48 angled ...... 44 cross-section. See width infrastructure off-street ...... 69 crossing...... 27 horizontal ...... 17 on-street ...... 44 mid-block ...... 28 vertical ...... 17 parallel...... 44 crosswalk ...... 28, 42 ingredients pavement ladder ...... 42 building ...... 68 markings ...... 45

MAIN STREET HANDBOOK 101 Index (cont’d)

textured...... 49 sign noise ...... 22 pedestrian informational ...... 48 secondary route ...... 36 priority ...... 14, 20 regulatory...... 47 traffic calming ...... 4 scale. See human scale warning...... 47 liability...... 26 signal ...... 51 signal ...... 50 slow down ...... 24 perception pedestrian ...... 51 smooth out ...... 26 human. See height synchronizing ...... 26, 51 traffic controls ...... 50 safety ...... 20 timing ...... 27 pedestrian signal ...... 51 phones ...... 64 warrants ...... 51 roundabout ...... 54 planting strip ...... 53 signing signal ...... 50 plazas ...... 70 permanent...... 47 stop sign...... 50 Pendleton ...... 71 temporary ...... 47 yield sign ...... 50 Portland ...... 51 Sisters...... 31, 47, 87 Traffic Management Section ...... 47 preservation ...... 12 slip lane ...... 40 transit shelter...... 63 Prineville...... 55 smart development...... 11, 76 transition area ...... 15, 26 process...... 7 Special Public Works Fund...... 78 transitions ...... 52 property tax...... 74 Special Transportation Area ...... 9 Transportation System Plan ...... 9 prospectus...... 11 benefits ...... 10 travel lane public space...... 70 Special Transportation Fund ...... 77 reduction ...... 26, 55 speed ...... 23 width ...... 56 Q 85th percentile ...... 24 trees ...... 18, 65 quick response teams ...... 76 Basic Rule ...... 23, 24 21st Century Community Fund ...... 79 chances of death ...... 25 R driver’s focus ...... 25 U raised median ...... 28 zones ...... 24 Urban Forestry Grant...... 79 ratio, height-to-width ...... 17 Speed Zone Review Panel ...... 24 urban renewal district ...... 75 reduction State Historic Preservation Office ...... 99 utilities ...... 18, 67 corner radius ...... 41 State Speed Board ...... 23 travel lane ...... 55 State Transportation Improvement V refuge island ...... 40, 46 Program...... 8, 11 vacant lots...... 17, 70 regulatory signs ...... 47 stop sign...... 50 vandalism ...... 21 rest rooms ...... 64 street vertical infrastructure ...... 17 right-of-way ...... 3 block length ...... 35 vertical plane. See height roadway ...... 16 furniture ...... 63 vision ...... 8, 13 area...... 38 length...... 14 Robertson, Kent ...... 71 local network ...... 35 W roundabout ...... 26, 54 structure ...... 14 walkway...... 61 system ...... 34 warning signs ...... 47 S trees ...... 18 wide outside lane ...... 39 safety ...... 20 width ...... 16 width ...... 16 perception...... 20 zones ...... 14 building area ...... 16 SCA Program ...... 77 striping ...... 61 perceived ...... 56 scenario success measurement ...... 6 roadway ...... 16 5-lane highway ...... 93 Sucher, David...... 6, 22, 70 sidewalk...... 16 couplet...... 91 SUPI Program...... 77 travel lane ...... 56 traditional downtown ...... 89 system development charge ...... 74 seating ...... 63 Y secondary route ...... 36 T yield sign ...... 50 security ...... 21 tax eyes on the street ...... 69 gas ...... 74 Z ownership ...... 21 property ...... 74 zones surveillance...... 21 tax increment financing...... 75 building area ...... 16 sense of place ...... 2 TEA-21 ...... 80 height...... 17 shoulder textured surface...... 49 length...... 14 colored ...... 52 TGM Program ...... 76 roadway ...... 16 sidewalk ...... 62 through traffic sidewalk area ...... 16 activity ...... 26 secondary route ...... 36 speed ...... 24 area...... 16, 57 traffic street ...... 14 design ...... 57 controls ...... 50 width ...... 16 width ...... 16, 62 flow ...... 26

102 Chapter 7: APPENDIX